SVSJ commentary: Wildcat baseball season turning into dream run
In a previous commentary, we noted that Mount Si’s first win against Mercer Island should have removed all doubt about how good the Wildcat baseball team is this season. Well, yesterday, after what Mount Si did, this team now appears poised for a greatness that has not been seen in over a decade.
The Wildcats were down 7-3 in the sixth inning against a Mercer Island squad who, after having been thrashed earlier this season by Mount Si, likely was looking to gain itself a little respect amongst observers of Kingco baseball. The Wildcats were also in a hole without their team leader, catcher Robb Lane, knocked out after a hard collision Wednesday against Bellevue which left him with a couple of busted teeth, a swollen lip and a bunch of stitches, all requiring a trip to Overlake Hospital’s ER.
The Lane injury and the deficit yesterday provided the Wildcats a chance to test themselves against adversity, something which they have had little of this season, it having been so dominant thus far. Folks, they passed the test. With flying colors. Mount Si’s offense went to work in the bottom of that sixth inning, and literally said to the Islanders, “Not in our house!!!” and proceeded to score four runs to tie the game. While the biggest hit of all came from a big presence in the lineup, Dustin Breshears, lesser known players stepped up to help set up the climax. Shane Dixon. Daniel Besmer. Ryan Atkinson. Then, in the eighth, with the bases loaded, another lesser known player became the hero.
Justin Henak is a senior and was slotted in the #2 hole, not a place that fans would have normally found him in the lineup, as he has for the most part been in the lower part of the order. And coming into his fateful at-bat, he had gone 0-4 with two K’s. Breshears was walked intentionally prior to Henak coming up in the eighth likely because MI thought that Henak would be an easy out. As ESPN’s Lee Corso would say, however, “Not so fast, my friend!” Henak ripped a pitch into center field and it scored the winning run from third.
The efforts of players such as Henak, Besmer, Atkinson and Dixon help make what is already a very strong lineup a very deep lineup offensively, one where any one player can step up and be the star. You combine that with strong pitching and the great speed and aggressiveness this team shows on the basepaths, and you have a team that is a legitimate threat to go far. Now, you add the character this comeback showed yesterday, and you have a team that simply can’t be stopped. The magic carpet ride has left the station, and the only thing we think that will hold this carpet from reaching its destination, a state championship, are the guys themselves. But we think that won’t be much of an issue either. Remember, this senior class went through the collapse of last season, so these guys know what they have to do to avoid a similar fate again this spring. And they have a coaching staff that is committed to ensuring that fate is avoided.
But there is still danger lurking about. Five of the seven remaining Wildcat games this regular season are on the road, and there are a couple of opponents in this slate, Liberty and Lake Washington in particular, who likely for their own reasons will stop at nothing to do their best to temporarily derail the Mount Si train. These Wildcats have to be aware that every team will give them their best shot down the stretch, just like MI did yesterday. And we think after yesterday, they fully understand.
Next Saturday’s game at Safeco Field we hope will be a chance for this community to come out and celebrate this team’s success. Their coach also hopes so. “I would like everyone to come watch this team play…they are something special!,” said Wildcat coach Elliott Cribby, and we agree. Once again, we ask all of you, if you have nothing to do next Saturday, and don’t mind going into Seattle to see it, we ask you, head down to Safeco Field to watch this team play Nathan Hale. Game is at 12:30 p.m., admission is FREE, and we promise you will not be disappointed.
