Brady headed to Mesa College

Douglas High baseball standout D.J. Brady decided last week to attend Mesa College in Arizona and play for coach Tony Cirelli next season.

Brady enjoyed a stellar senior season for the Tigers, going 7-5 overall and 6-2 on the mound, tossing two back-to-back no-hitters while boasting a 2.16 ERA.

He struck out 50 and walked 10 in 35.2 innings on the mound.

The left-hander was a three-year starter with the Tigers and also swung a strong bat in the leadoff spot during his senior season.

Brady joins the Thunderbirds, who wrapped up the 2006 regular season ranked No. 1 in the National Junior College Association's Division II poll and advanced to the NJCAA World Series.

"I talked with coach Cirelli a little bit and he said he was going to need some pitching next season," Brady said. "I looked at their records over the last few years and visited the campus.

"I'm definitely very excited to be going down there."

Mesa was led last season by former Douglas standout Bryan Miller who started in center field for the Thunderbirds.

"I got a hold of them earlier this season, and the coach talked to Bryan about me," Brady said. "After that, coach just kept calling me. He said he'd also try to get me into an offensive role at some point."

Miller is currently entertaining offers from several four-year schools including Louisville and Kansas.

Although Miller is graduating, Brady will certainly be among friends.

He'll live with his brother, Bryan, who was a three-sport standout at Douglas in his senior season.

"That influenced my decision a lot," Brady said. "Just being able to go down and hang out with my brother. He'd already been going to school there for a year and he knows what's going on."

Another former Tiger great, Tyson Estes, is on the Thunderbirds' football team and started on the defensive line last year.

When Brady visited the campus, it was 110 degrees outside.

"That's something I'll have to get used to for sure," Brady said. "Playing in that heat will be difficult."

Brady has been playing for the Sierra Sundevils baseball club in Reno this summer. He was set to play against the Douglas summer baseball program Tuesday afternoon.

-- Joey Crandall can be reached at jcrandall@recordcourier.com or at (775) 782-5121, ext. 212.