The week in Mount Si baseball
Published 8:56 pm Thursday, October 2, 2008
Mount Si 6, Mercer Island 1
In the first of three straight home games over spring break last Monday the Wildcats used a five-run outburst in the bottom of the fourth inning to break open a 1-1 tie to pick up the victory. Junior pitcher Ian Opsal went the full seven innings, giving up only five hits while striking out five to get the victory.
Despite the win, coach Gary McGregor wanted more out of his team.
“We swung the bats good for one inning, and … [it] seems to me that was all we did,” said McGregor.
The Islanders scored first off of Opsal in the top of the second, when three consecutive Islander hitters hit singles, with Duncan Schnoor’s hit scoring Billy Krause from third base to put Mercer Island up 1-0. Wildcat outfielder Nick Johnson responded in the bottom of the third with a lead-off home run off of Islander pitcher Lane Harper to tie the score at 1-1.
“It was just a fastball that was a little high, and I got lucky and took it over [the] left field [wall],” said Johnson.
In the bottom of the fourth, Wildcat outfielder Alex Smart opened the inning with a single, then stole second on a blown rundown attempt by the Islanders. Justin Lewis advanced Smart to third on a sacrifice bunt. Then the floodgates opened.
Evan Hillburn singled to score Smart, then Adam Dentz singled, then Johnson doubled to score Hillburn. Chris Brown then got on first base by a fielder’s choice, with Dentz being thrown out at home plate. Brandon Sales then doubled to score Johnson and Brown. The Islanders took Harper out of the game at that point, replacing him with Clark Fredericksen, who then struck out Craig Weber to end the onslaught. Over the next three innnings Opsal only gave up two walks and a hit to seal the victory.
“He did a good job,” said McGregor.
Opsal liked his team’s effort.
“We’re playing great baseball, good fundamental baseball, but we’ve got to keep it up to win more ballgames,” said Opsal.
For the complete story, pick up a copy of this week’s Valley Record
