The Mount Si High School softball team has seen its share of dramatic moments this season.

But nothing could prepare them, or many of their fans, for what took place last week at the Kingco Tournament at Issaquah High School. The Wildcats were facing certain heartbreak after two disappointing games, only to have the magic come back and save the season in the nick of time.

It started last Thursday May 8, with a game against Liberty High School. Mount Si had hits in every inning, but baserunning mistakes and lack of clutch hitting, among other things, doomed them in a tough 5-4 loss to the Patriots that allowed Liberty to return to the SeaKing District Tournament.

Liberty opened the scoring in the first, as Hannah Sherwood scored on a Michelle Torre sacrifice fly out. Then Torre struck again, as she hit a three-run home run in the third off of Wildcat starter Katie Brett.

Mount Si fought back, first with a run in the fourth, on a bases-loaded walk by Kyleen Sweepe that scored Melissa Webster. Then in the sixth, the Wildcats got going, as Danielle Covello started with a double; then Rachel Nyberg walked. An error on a sacrifice bunt by Kelsey Walker allowed Covello to score; then a single by Sweepe scored Savannah Maddux, who courtesy-ran for Nyberg. Megan Stone grounded into a double play, scoring Walker to tie the game.

Liberty then re-took the lead in the seventh, with a Jesi Siemons single that scored Sherwood. Siemons then fought off one last Wildcat rally attempt, and locked up the victory for the blue and green. It came at a price for Mount Si, as Traci Barclay hurt her knee when it was hit hard by a foul ball off the bat of Covello.

Barclay did not play in the game last Friday, May 9, against Interlake for the final spot into districts.

This time, the Wildcats got it going early, but saw the Saints fight back, and come very close to ending this promising Mount Si season. However, a couple of players took matters into their own hands, and kept the postseason dream alive.

A single by Katie Shaw in the eighth inning scored Walker from second base, lifting Mount Si to a 5-4 come-from-behind victory over Interlake.

“I was probably not the only one in the place figuring our season was over,” said Mount Si coach Larry White. “But again, a couple of kids decided that, ‘nope, season’s not over yet.’ They stepped up.”

It all started in the first inning, with another home run from Stone, a two-run shot over the left field fence that opened the scoring for the Wildcats. For the freshman, it seemed so easy.

“The one I hit (for the home run) was right down the middle,” Stone said.

Mount Si bats had such a great inning, it seemed this thing was going to be over quickly. The Saints, though, had other ideas.

They scored a run in the third to make it 2-1, then tied it on a Brett wild pitch in the fifth that scored a runner from third base. Webster scored a run on a sacrifice flyout by Nyberg in the bottom of that frame to put Mount Si back in front. Interlake, however, took the lead with a pair of runs in the seventh, and was on the verge of closing the door, when magic struck.

Brett singled with one out and was courtesy-run for by Maddux. Then Nyberg came up, and crushed a triple off the left field foul pole, scoring Maddux to tie the game. Brett took care of the Saints in the top of the eighth; then Walker and Sweepe each hit bunt singles to open the bottom of the frame and set up Shaw’s game winner.

Also playing a big role on defense, with a couple of key plays in left field, was senior April Saffell.

“I just got a chance to start today and I took advantage of it,” Saffell said. “Honest, I was really scared, but I made the plays I was supposed to.”

Mount Si plays West Seattle Thursday, May 15, at Marymoor Park in Redmond at noon in a loser-out game to open the SeaKing District Tournament.