Mustangs display determination in loss to Islanders

Redmond baseball team nearly pulls off upset against Mercer Island.

By Shaun Scott • May 4, 2018 1:21 am

The Redmond Mustang baseball team wasn’t intimidated in the least bit in its matchup against the Mercer Island Islanders in a playoff game with a berth in the KingCo 3A championship game on the line.

Redmond scored one run in the top of the first and added three more runs in the top of the third. Redmond freshman Colin Curry’s two-RBI single in the top of the third, which scored Redmond’s third and fourth runs, gave them a commanding 4-0 lead.

Unfortunately for the Mustangs, Mercer Island outscored them 7-2 for the remainder of the contest, earning a 7-6 win against Redmond on May 3 at Bannerwood Park in Bellevue.

Mercer Island scored three runs in the bottom of the third, cutting Redmond’s lead to 4-3. With two outs in the bottom of the fourth, Mercer Island slugger Alex Shanks connected on three-run homer to left field off of Redmond starting pitcher Connor Barison, giving Mercer Island a 6-4 lead. They added another run on Teague Condor’s RBI single in the bottom of the fifth, scoring Nikhil Nayar from third base extending Mercer Island’s lead to 7-4.

The Mustangs weren’t deterred down the stretch and cultivated a comeback bid.

Redmond scored one run in the top of the sixth, decreasing Mercer Island’s lead to 7-5. In the top of the seventh, Bradley Cagle scored, cutting Mercer Island’s lead to 7-6. With two outs and pinch runner Nick Holt on third base, Mercer Island pitcher Parker Simpson recorded a strikeout to end the game.

Redmond head coach Dan Pudwill said his team was confident against a Mercer Island squad that had only lost one game throughout the 2018 season.

“I’m just happy that we played well. We trusted ourselves and we believed in ourselves. We got after it and we fully expected to win the baseball game despite the records coming in,” Pudwill said.

Mercer Island improved its overall record to 20-1 with the win while Redmond dropped to 9-12.

“They’re playing well and they’re growing. This is new for a lot of them,” Pudwill said of his squad. “This is the pressure cooker of playoff baseball.”