The Region's Team Of Northwest Indiana

Keith Mahler, Highland High School graduate and pitcher from Heartland Community College, wants to show what he can do in his first season with the Oilmen. Mahler has been playing the game of baseball for 14 years and plans to continue to play baseball going forward.

Mahler is known for the three pitches he has thrown since high school: a changeup, a slider and a fastball that reaches 92 miles per hour. Mahler posted a perfect record his senior season at Highland High School in a tough conference in the Northwest Crossroads Conference with schools like Andrean, Hobart, Lowell and Munster.

Mahler is hoping to get on the right track pitching-wise after an arm injury sidelined him from playing baseball at Heartland Community College his freshman year in college.

After Mahler’s freshman year was lost to an injury, he had a lot to think about and had to think about what he would do without baseball to focus on.

Mahler decided it was time to enroll back to school at Heartland Community College and focus on academics. He got a phone call from Heartland coach Nate Metzger asking him if he would come out and play baseball for the Hawks again.

“I thought about it and made my mind up to continue to play, Mahler said.  “I had confidence in myself; I always have and need to in order to go out there and be successful.”

Mahler, who is 2-4 this season for the Oilmen with a 2.73 ERA, has pitched well as a reliable starter for the ball club. This past season, Mahler made 19 appearances at Heartland Community College, posting a 1.92 ERA.

“The whole team is great, and the team has had my back throughout the season,” Mahler said. “If I did not have them, I would not be as successful this season as I am.”

Mahler said his goal and his plan was to be able to make All-Star Game and represent the Oilmen. He did just that on July 9, pitching one inning and not allowing a run for the South All-Stars.

“Having a competitive edge, going out there and telling myself that every day,” Mahler said.

Mahler wanted to play for the Oilmen to stay close to home and wanted to play for the league after getting a small sample size last season when he pitched for the Lexington Snipes.

“I’m excited about it because it is close to home and I’ll get to spend time with my family and friends,” Mahler said.

Mahler hopes to continue to be in the starting rotation for the Oilmen as the second half of the season is just getting underway.