‘Cats end season on strong outing
Published 8:38 pm Thursday, October 2, 2008
SNOQUALMIE – The Mount Si Wildcats’ baseball team finished up their home schedule with two games last week.
Last Monday, it was the same old story for the Wildcats as the big inning did them in again – not once, but twice.
The Islanders rallied from a 5-0 deficit with a five-run fifth inning to tie the game, only to see Mount Si junior Adam Dentz double in the bottom of the sixth inning to score fellow junior Craig Weber to put the Wildcats back in the lead. Mercer Island wasn’t fazed, as in the top of the seventh the team scored seven times on their way to a 12-7 road win.
Weber and fellow junior Brandon Sales each picked up two hits to lead the Wildcats.
It was a senior day last Wednesday that many will remember, especially senior Alex Van Oeveren. He reached base on an error with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning, scoring fellow senior Alex Smart with the fifth, and game-winning run, as the Wildcats rallied from a 7-3 deficit to stun the No. 2 ranked Issaquah Eagles 8-7.
For Van Oeveren, who was celebrating his 18th birthday, the game-winning play was a present that will not be forgotten for a long time.
“I was just trying to put it in play, I guess, and it worked out for the best,” said Van Oeveren.
Smart got things going for Mount Si in the bottom of the second with a first-pitch line drive home run over the right field fence.
“I actually didn’t get a hold of it that good, but [it’s] kind of nice we have only 307 down the line, I can sneak that one over. I’ll take a home run any day,” said the outfielder.
The Wildcats ultimately took a 2-0 lead out of the inning. Issaquah rallied to tie the game at 2-2 with two runs in the third. The Eagles blew out to the lead with three runs in the fifth, then another two runs in the sixth. Mount Si responded by scoring a run in the fifth.
With the game seemingly done, something happened in the bottom of the seventh. The Wildcats’ senior bats came alive for one last stand, with the help of a great junior.
Alec Sattler walked to open the inning, then Sales homered to left center to make it 7-5 Issaquah. Evan Hillburn singled, then Justin Lewis doubled, scoring Hillburn. Smart then tripled, scoring Lewis to tie the game, then Van Oeveren won it.
All eight seniors, Smart, Hillburn, Lewis, Van Oeveren, Sattler, Jordan Lettau, Mike Lindor and Ian Opsal, were honored after the game.
Overall Mount Si finished the year 7-13, 6-12 in Kingco play. The team offensively was solid, hitting a combined .303, but the pitching suffered with a combined 6.20 earned run average. Smart finished his final high-school season with a .409 average, but Weber, Opsal and Dentz all hit above .300. Junior Chris Brown led the team in home runs with four, half of which were hit in a game at Cedarcrest April 28. Dentz’s pitching performance was not reflective of the struggles the pitching staff faced this season. He led the pitchers with a 4-4 record, and 3.07 ERA. Dentz struck out 50 hitters and only walked nine this season. Opsal did well, too. Despite a 2-3 record with a save, the senior struck out 37 hitters in 28 innings pitched.
“We have a strong group coming back next year. These juniors were strong contributors during the year. They are already looking to March 1, 2005,” said Wildcat coach Gary McGregor, adding he wishes his seniors well. “This year’s seniors will be missed. They provided a lot of memories for all of us. I wish them the best of whatever comes their way.”
