After watching Wednesday night’s dominating pitching and powerful hitting by Redmond’s Dylan Davis, it’s hard to believe he is only a sophomore in high school.

Behind Davis’ complete-game gem and two-run home run, Redmond beat Bothell, 4-1, in a 4A Kingco baseball showdown at Hartman Park.

“Absolutely unbelievable,” Redmond head coach Dan Pudwill said of Davis’ performance. “He knew it was a big game, and he knew we were playing a really good team in Bothell. He just stepped up, he was pretty much in complete control.”

Redmond, which improved to 7-2 in league play and 10-3 overall, is just one game behind Crest Division-leading Skyline (8-1, 11-2). The Mustangs, who also got a solo home run from Michael Conforto, snapped Bothell’s six-game league winning streak.

“We have great confidence, and real high hopes,” said Davis, who helped the Mustangs win their third straight game. “We’re doing well right now, and it’s exciting.”

STOPPING THE BLUE TRAIN

The Mustangs knew of Bothell’s tendency to be aggressive early in the count, which ended up playing right into Davis’ strategy to tame a potent Cougar lineup.

“My game plan was just to go out there and see if they can hit it,” Davis said. “They’re real aggressive, so I thought, ‘Why go up there and waste pitches?’”

Davis, using excellent location with his fastball and off-speed pitches, gave up just two hits in seven innings. The Cougars’ only run was unearned.

The young righthander kept the ball down like a cagey veteran, inducing 15 ground ball outs, to go along with five strikeouts. Taking advantage of Bothell’s impatience at the plate, Davis threw just nine, four, and seven pitches in the second, third and fourth innings, respectively, leaving plenty in the tank for him to finish strong.

The only problem spot for Davis came in the sixth, when two walks and a passed ball put Cougars at second and third with one out.

Fortunately for the Stangs, third baseman Alex Reynolds hit a line drive to shorstop Brian Grina, who flipped the ball over to Michael Marriott covering second base for the double play.

HELPING THE CAUSE

Redmond’s offensive attack scattered seven hits over the seven innings, but none was bigger than the 1-0 pitch in the third inning that Davis turned on and lifted over the left field fence to give his team a 3-1 advantage.

“That gave himself and us the separation we needed to get a little breathing room,” Pudwill said. “It helped him stay in the flow of his game.”

As it turned out, Davis was familiar with the tough-luck pitcher, Bothell’s Evan Hudson, who served up the meatball.

“We’re teammates together… you get kind of used to (his pitches),” explained Davis, who plays with Hudson on a select team. “He wasn’t throwing the fastball for strikes, so I was just thinking to give up the fastball. I got a hanging curveball and I just took it.”

In the fifth, Conforto got the green light on a 3-0 count and blasted a mammoth home run to right-center field, the deepest part of the ball park. It was Conforto’s fourth home run of the season.

“It feels great,” said Conforto on helping the Mustangs with another long ball. “I was struggling for a while there, but I just kept swinging, taking extra (batting practice) and it finally came.”

AN ADDED INCENTIVE

While most high school coaches don’t like to add unnecessary pressure to their teams before a big game, Pudwill gave his squad a little extra information at game time as a litmus test to see how they handled pressure.

“I tried to drub it a bit, I told them (the Reporter) was coming out and it was the game of the week,” Pudwill admitted. “I wanted to see what they did when the lights came on a little bit brighter, and they really responded.”