Short on hair, but long on talent, the Redmond High School baseball team is looking to write a storybook ending to a forgettable start to the season.

After losing its first seven games, the Mustangs will be making their third straight trip to the Class 4A state tournament with short-cut hairdos and a common goal: to win a state championship.

“It’s been a lot of fun,” said Redmond coach Dan Pudwill. “It’s a really neat group. They have fun together and they really appreciate this run.”

Fueled by their three Division I college recruits — Peter Hendron, Adam Cline and Patrick McGrath — the Mustangs won 12 straight after going 0-7 to start the season. But then lost their regular-season finale against Issaquah, sparking a trip to a Woodinville barbershop.

Being the superstitious players they are, Mustang players didn’t cut their hair during the 12-game streak that catapulted up to the No. 2 spot in the Kingco 4A Crest Division. Once the streak ended, senior Conner Bozman suggested all the players get a buzz cut or a mohawk.

McGrath said he usually wears his hair long, but likes his new look — and the Mustangs’ winning ways.

“At first it felt kind of weird,” he said. “But I like it a lot. Must be good luck.”

Following the team-bonding barbershop outing, the Mustangs won their first two Kingco 4A playoff games behind the pitching of Cline and Hendron and the clutch hitting of McGrath. The wins — 3-2 against Woodinville last Saturday and a 9-1 versus Newport on Monday — earned the Mustangs a fifth trip to state in the last six years.

The Mustangs play Issaquah in the Kingco 4A title game on Thursday at 7 p.m. at Woodinville. The first round of the state tournament starts May 19.

ONE-TWO PITCHING PUNCH

Cline, a Columbia University-bound senior and Hendron, who will play at Santa Clara University, both entered the season unproven on the mound, according to Pudwill. But the pair of aces have evolved into one of the best one-two punches in Kingco.

Cline pitched a complete-game gem against Woodinville and Hendron went the distance against Newport, which managed just one hit against the power-pitching righty.

“They were fairly untested and unproven going into the year,” Pudwill said of Cline and Hendron. “But I fully expected them to dominate Kingco and they lived up to those expectations.”

Cline, a whiz kid who aspires to be a hedge-fund manager, is an analytical pitcher who attacks the strike zone with movement on his fastballs.

Hendron, who plays the piano and the guitar, is a prototypical power pitcher who can rev his fastball up to the mid-to-upper 80s, according to Pudwill.

Both pitchers have four complete-game wins heading into the Kingco 4A title game.

“They are both pretty similar,” said McGrath, who plays shortstop. “Both throw strikes. Adam has more movement on his fastballs. He’s a ground-ball pitcher and gets a bunch of double plays.”

“Hendron is more of a power pitcher,” McGrath added. “He’s got electrifying stuff. He’s got a great arm.”

Off the mound, Cline has a 3.5 G.P.A. and scored a 33 out of 36 on his ACT test and plans to major in economics at Columbia. He was also considering two other Ivy League colleges — Harvard University and Dartmouth College.

As for Hendron, he is the second one from his family to make a name for himself at Redmond High. Hendron’s sister, Erika, was an ace pitcher for the Mustangs’ fastpitch team and graduated in 2009. She now plays at Western Washington, where she is majoring in occupational therapy, Peter said.

Peter, who pitched a perfect game earlier in the season, said he doesn’t care about the individual accolades and is focused on leading his team to more wins.

“As long as we win, I’m happy,” he said. “I just want to win and keep this going.”

MIGHTY MCGRATH

A big reason for the Mustangs’ resurgence is McGrath, a Washington State University-bound senior who went 5 for 5, including a two-run home run against Newport, in Redmond’s first two playoff wins.

Pudwill is not surprised by McGrath’s hot hitting, which seems to find a spark during the playoffs.

“He just catches fire in the playoffs,” Pudwill said. “They can’t get him out in this tournament.”

Pudwill said the baseball is “looking like a watermelon” for McGrath.

McGrath agreed, saying he is seeing the ball much better.

McGrath, who wants to get into law enforcement, credits his turnaround at the plate to a late-season talk with his former select baseball coach, Tim Palmer.

“He gave me some small pointers and ever since then, it’s been easier to see and hit,” McGrath said.

With McGrath, Peter and Cline leading the way, the Mustangs hope to cap a memorable turnaround with a state title.

“Let’s see if we can write that storybook ending,” Pudwill said.