With Eastlake running away with the 4A Kingco Crest Division title, the Redmond Mustangs fastpitch team made a strong statement on Wednesday night that — for now — they are the second-best team in the division.
In a game with playoff implications, the mighty Mustangs hammered Newport in an 11-1 five-inning thrashing at Hartman Park, increasing their second-place lead over the competition.
The win elevated the Mustangs to 6-4 (9-5 overall) in division play and maintained a half-game lead over Issaquah (5-4) while putting some distance between them and Newport (4-5), as the Knights dropped to fourth place in the division with the loss.
While the division champions will square off in a winner-to-state championship game May 16, the overall No. 2 seed has the advantage in the upcoming Kingco tournament of playing the opposite division’s lowest-seeded team in the opening round.
“It was big, because it was in our conference,” said head coach Parris Mamon on the team’s win. “Our goals have been adjusted with Eastlake pulling so far away, that we do want to be the No. 2 seed. But really, we want to make the playoffs. Last year we showed that once you make the playoffs, anything can happen.”
TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS
In the Mustangs’ mercy-rule shortened win, the team got an outstanding start from Melissa White, who was pitching for the fourth time in six days, as well as contributions from up and down the team’s potent lineup.
The Mustangs were down early after White gave up a solo home run to left off the bat of Newport’s Indiana Coxey, but the junior pitcher did not get rattled. She continued to fire first-pitch strikes at nearly every batter, striking out seven in five innings while giving up just four hits.
“It was like, ‘Aww, crap, she just hit a home run,’” recalled White after seeing Coxey’s drive clear the fence. “It gave me that (intensity).”
Coach Mamon lauded White’s pinpoint control, and said he was not surprised that she was able to keep control after the early mistake.
“Melissa pitched real well today… she was phenomenal,” he said. “Not a lot of things bother her. Melissa’s good about not showing too much emotion, she goes out there and takes care of business.”
The team definitely took care of business at the plate as the Mustang bats, which have had some hard luck in the form of line drives and ground balls being hit directly at fielders, came alive.
Softballs were splashed all over Hartman Park’s field No. 6 as some bloop hits fell in and hard-hit grounders found those holes that have eluded hitters at times this season. In total, eight out of nine Mustang starters notched at least one hit, and the player that didn’t, leadoff hitter and co-captain Stephanie Gero, worked two walks and also scored in the fifth inning, igniting the rally that ended the game early.
“It was a total team effort,” Mamon said. “Our team hits well, and Chelsea Rakonza was outstanding.”
Rakonza, filling in at catcher for Kelly Walls, went 3 for 4 with three RBIs, which included a game-ending RBI single back up the middle.
Lindsay Cristobal was perfect at 3-for-3 with three runs scored, and cleanup hitter Louise Chouinard checked in with two hits and a pair of RBIs.
HITTING A PLAYOFF PEAK
With just four games left on the regular-season schedule, the Mustangs know how vital each and every win is from here on out, not only for seeding, but confidence heading into the grueling 4A Kingco tournament, during which a team may have to play as many as five games in a three-day stretch to advance out of the consolation bracket.
Having been there before, Mamon said that he doesn’t feel the Mustangs are at their prime yet, a scary thought for the other teams heading to the tournament to vie for three state berths.
“We firmly believe that we haven’t reached our peak yet, we’re still climbing that mountain,” he said. “Hopefully, when we get to the top, it’ll be right when it needs to be, during our playoff run.”
When asked what the Mustangs’ keys to success this year will be down the home stretch, the team’s ace cited confidence and cohesion.
“We need to not have tension, because that does affect our game,” White noted. “And just stay confident and focused.”
Ten-run victories seem to work wonders in relieving any clubhouse tension, as evidenced by the smiling faces and laughter in the winning dugout after the game.
The Mustangs played on Thursday night at home against Ballard in a make-up game after the Reporter’s deadline, and then comes a showdown against Eastlake (8-0, 13-1) coming up on Monday at Eastlake High School at 4 p.m.
To view more great action photos from this game, visit photographer Matt Campbell’s website at http://www.sportspixs.com/rhs_05042011
