IN IT TO WIN IT—Grace Brethren standouts, from left, Chad Avena, Nick Schmidt and Chris Meyers lead the Lancer baseball team into today’s CIF-Southern Section Division 6 first-round game against Avalon. First pitch is set for 3:15 p.m. at Grace Brethren. IRIS SMOOT/Acorn Newspapers Nick Schmidt, Chad Avena and Chris Meyers lead the Grace Brethren High baseball team with more than just their hitting, pitching and defense.

The senior captains play the game the right way.

Avena is a tough-as-nails defensive magnet at shortstop who’s aggressive like a wild boar at the plate.

Meyers is a gentleman with sprinter’s speed—he has 25 stolen bases and covers more ground in the outfield than Willie Mays Hayes in “Major League.”

Schmidt is the record-setting slugger who’d rather chew on glass than talk about himself.

“These seniors have done exactly what I hoped they would do,” Grace Brethren head coach Paul Romero said, “which is lead by example, by communicating and by having such a winning attitude.”

Schmidt, Avena and Meyers propel the Lancers (21-4 overall) into today’s 3:15 p.m. CIF-Southern Section Division 6 playoff opener at home against Avalon.

Schmidt, 18, has belted a section record 56 doubles. He’s tied the state record for career doubles, Romero said.

The Lancer is more interested in discussing how he can fix his flaws or helping his teammates win a section championship than the doubles mark.

“I try to keep my mind off it,” Schmidt said. “I don’t want to think about it. I want to help my team.”

The first baseman and pitcher has also contributed at catcher, where he’s thrived behind the dish. He’s shown a knack for throwing out base runners.

Schmidt, who played on the offensive line and as running back for the semifinalist football team, said the Lancers have the talent, maturity and enthusiasm to keep winning.

“There’s no burnout feeling some teams tend to get at the end of a season,” he said. “We’re all stoked to keep playing.

“Our team knows how to win. But I want to see us more focused. We’re not going to take any team lightly. We have five games left.”

When the Lancers need a boost, Schmidt is the one to provide a shot in the arm.

He’s driven in 32 runs, smacked 11 doubles, belted three homers and scored 22 runs while batting at a .412 clip.

On the mound, Schmidt is 7-1 with a 2.90 ERA.

“He steps up big when we need him,” Avena said. “At the plate, he brings fear into the fielders. He basically scares the other team.”

If Avena sees a pitch in the zone, he’ll attack the ball.

The shortstop played varsity ball for Division 1 Royal as a sophomore. The 17-year-old couldn’t play varsity ball last year due to transfer rules. He did, however, destroy JV competition.

Avena hasn’t missed a beat this season.

He has a team-high .456 batting average, and has added 30 RBI, 30 runs, 11 doubles, three homers and a .709 slugging percentage.

On the mound, he’s surrendered only two earned runs in 37 innings. He has a 0.38 ERA, 30 strikeouts and a 5-0 record.

It’s Avena’s defense that has teammates buzzing.

“He has a lot of range,” Meyers said. “He makes plays other shortstops wouldn’t make.”

Although he has friends on Royal’s baseball squad, Avena said he doesn’t keep up with the Highlanders’ on-field exploits.

“I kind of miss Royal because of the higher competition,” Avena said. “Grace Brethren is better for me right now. I’ve had to step up more as a leader and be an example.

“Hopefully we’ll win CIF. We don’t expect anything less.”

Avena, who enjoys riding dirt bikes when he’s not getting his baseball jersey muddy, comes from a baseball family.

His mother, Anne, handed out White Sox programs at the old Comiskey Park in Chicago. His father, Tony, played high school baseball in Brooklyn, N.Y. Brothers Colin and Ryan also starred on the diamond.

Meyers has had a standout season batting leadoff and patrolling center field.

The senior has scored a teamhigh 34 runs and added 10 RBI while batting .346.

Teammates rave about Meyers the man.

“He leads us morally, spiritually and physically,” Schmidt said of Meyers. “I’ve never heard him say something negative about anyone. He leads by example. He’s always on time to practice. I can’t remember the last time he made a mistake in the outfield.”

Meyers, 18, said his family, which includes three brothers and three sisters, became Christians just before arriving at Grace Brethren.

“Everything we do is for the glory of God,” he said. “Baseball is fun. You fail more than you succeed. But even if you fail, you learn from your mistakes, get up for the next time and try to do it better.”

His brother Thomas, a freshman, moved up to varsity for the playoffs.

Meyers, who enjoys wakeboarding, snowboarding and surfing, said he plans on playing baseball at Cal Lutheran next season. He also played four seasons of football for Grace Brethren, manning wide receiver, running back and cornerback.

He said the Lancers have shown a willingness to fight, attributing multiple comeback wins among the 21 victories.

“Even if we start slow, we always try to end strong,” said Meyers, an honors student with a 3.4 grade-point average. “We don’t give up.”

If Grace Brethren reaches the June 4 section championship game, it may conflict with graduation, which falls on the same day.

It’s a predicament the Lancers would love to be in.

“We need good pitching, good defense and timely hitting,” Romero said. “I want that section title for our seniors more than anyone else.”