There’s no mystery when it comes to the strong suit of the 2010 baseball Redskins.

But while the spotlight will be on two-time conference MVP Ben Griset, Gustine’s success is going to depend on other players stepping forward to provide run support for what shapes up as a solid pitching staff.

Griset, a fourth-year varsity player, gives the Redskins an opportunity to shut down opponents any time he takes the mound and is dangerous at the plate as well.

“Ben is fully healthy coming in this year. He did not play basketball this year so that he could focus on baseball, and he is throwing well,” Coach Manuel Bettencourt said. “He is a leader, and he doesn’t get rattled at all. As a fourth-year varsity player, I expect him to be like a coach on the field. He is the total package.”

Pitching depth runs deep on the Gustine roster. Seniors Chris Perry and Kory Bettencourt return for the Redskins as well.

“I think we’ll be able to stop people with our pitching,” Coach Bettencourt commented. “It is going to be a matter of giving our pitchers run support and playing defense behind them. We are a relatively unknown team at the plate......that’s our biggest question mark. We need to be able to hit from top to bottom in the lineup.”

Joseph Gerhart, Mark DeLaCruz and Eric Gill are among those who might help solidify the Gustine lineup.

“We are going to be a young team, and we are going to look Perry, Bettencourt and Griset for leadership,” the head coach noted.

Gustine finds itself in a league that Bettencourt described as one of the toughest in the section.

Perennial powerhouse Central Catholic will again be the favorite, Bettencourt said, but quality runs deep in this year’s Western Athletic Conference.

“Obviously, until somebody knocks off Central Catholic they are going to be the team to beat, but I see us being able to compete with anybody we play,” he reflected. “It is a matter of who plays the most fundamentally sound baseball. It’s not just one game at a time; its one pitch at a time and trying to win every inning.”

Gustine is scheduled to host Modesto Christian today (Thursday) in the season opener.