Harbor Shortstop Takes No Shortcuts : Colleges: Mark Lewis personifies spirit that Seahawk Coach Tony Bloomfield admires in his players.

At Harbor College, the coaching staff requires baseball players to be tough and play with intensity. Dirty uniforms are evidence of aggressive play in each game and practice.

That kind of physical, scrappy athlete has helped the program win 12 league titles and three state championships.

Mark Lewis is such an athlete. The 5-foot-10 shortstop from El Segundo High has emerged as the team’s leader in his sophomore season.

“Mark is a typical Harbor kid,” said Coach Tony Bloomfield, an All-State shortstop at Harbor in 1983. “He’s a hard-nose guy who plays in every single game like it’s his last. He’s a joy to coach. Kids like him keep me coaching.”

Bloomfield says Lewis is in the same class as Tony Liebsack, one of the best shortstops in school history. Liebsack, who was a second-team All-American selection on Harbor’s 1990 state championship team that finished 51-5, is playing at Florida State.

“Mark is definitely the key to our success and he’s our team leader,” said Bloomfield, in his second season as coach. “He takes charge on defense. He’s like a coach out there. He reminds me of myself when I played here.”

Lewis is batting .333 and is second on the team with 27 runs batted in. Lewis, who has 33 hits, is tied with left fielder Joey Miller for a team-high 11 RBI in Southern California Athletic Conference play.

The Seahawks (22-6) are leading the SCAC at 9-1.

“Mark is tough as nails,” Miller said. “If the game is on the line and we’re down by one run with a guy on third, we’d want him up. He really competes. He gets dirty all the time.”

Lewis was an All-SCAC shortstop as a freshman last year, but he didn’t play up to his potential, according to Bloomfield. The Seahawks finished 33-9, but were eliminated in the regional playoffs.

“He showed he had ability, but he didn’t play hard enough in every game,” Bloomfield said. “He came back a different person from summer vacation.”

Lewis, 20, says he worked hard during the break to improve his game. He followed a weight training program with his brother Robert, a former catcher at Harbor who is playing at Texas A&M.;

“Last year I struggled a bit,” Lewis said. “I guess I was getting used to college ball. It was so competitive cause here everybody is good. I felt like the little kid on the block.

“So I worked out every day during summer and I put on 10 pounds. That makes it easier to field ground balls. I’m more confident now. I really worked my legs and I’m stronger now.”

Lewis has only made three errors in 28 games this season. Last year he had nine in 28 games. He says he’s also doing better at the plate.

“I feel like I got more power,” he said. “And I just feel more confident because I’m used to the pitching. The experience helps too.”

Lewis played his first two years of high school baseball and soccer at Rolling Hills High, but transferred to El Segundo as a junior.

He became a two-time All-Camino Real League selection and is considered to be one of the best shortstops in El Segundo history. The Eagles were 53-9 in his two seasons there.

As a junior, he helped the Eagles win the Southern Section 2-A Division title. As a senior, he helped El Segundo earn another trip to the 2-A final at Anaheim Stadium, where the Eagles lost. He committed only three errors in 31 games and helped El Segundo turn a school-record 24 double plays. He batted .425 with 36 RBIs, five home runs and 10 doubles and made The Times’ South Bay All-Star team.

“He’s one of the best shortstops I’ve seen,” said Harbor assistant Bob Anderson, who led Bishop Montgomery High to three Southern Section playoff appearances in five years as coach. “He has tremendous instinct and ability.”

Lewis’ lack of speed is a concern to pro scouts, but not to college recruiters.

So far, recruiters from Texas A&M;, Nevada, Houston and Texas Tech have expressed interest in Lewis. He would like to play with his brother at Texas A&M; or at least in the same conference--the Southwest.

Lewis believes Harbor is capable of winning another state title.

“Last year there were more individuals,” Lewis said. “Everyone was playing for themselves. This year we have more team guys and a real good hitting ball club. We’re solid all the way through.”

Miller said Lewis’ improved play and attitude have contributed to that.

“Even if he’s not having a very good game, he’ll pick up the next guy,” he said. “He’s a happy-go-lucky guy off the field, but when he plays he’s a motivator.”