Just one word is necessary to get the motivational juices flowing for Redmond High’s baseball players this season: FINISH.
The brief, but crucial motto stands out in capital gold letters on the Mustangs’ green practice T-shirts.
“Last year, we came up short in some extra-inning games, and this year we wanna finish every game, every pitch,” said senior No. 1 pitcher Brendan Ecklebarger on Tuesday afternoon at Hartman Park.
The University of Washington-bound lefty struck out 51 batters last season and was a first-team All-4A Kingco selection. He was also handy with the bat by compiling a .517 slugging percentage and .487 on-base percentage.
“We’re very hopeful this year, we have a lot of returners, a lot of role players, guys know what their duties are this year,” said Ecklebarger, who noted that the talented Mustangs also have some solid newcomers on board.
Ecklebarger trusts his teammates and said their tight bond will also help them make another run at a state berth.
Redmond finished 15-9 overall last year and 11-5 in league, and the Mustangs’ Kingco playoff run took intensity levels to dizzying heights with four extra-inning games. Redmond lost game one (3-2 to Woodinville), but then reeled off two elimination wins (8-7 over Bothell and 5-4 over Inglemoor) before losing 10-9 to Skyline to end its season.
Coach Dan Pudwill said this year’s team can learn from last season’s playoff baseball buffet: “I think it’s more food to feed us, to be a little hungrier, how close we were with those games. Obviously they could have went either way.”
Although the Mustangs played well during the 2015 regular season, Pudwill feels they underachieved overall. The players battled in the playoffs and have the grit and determination to make their mark this time out, he said.
The Mustangs have swung their bats well in a jamboree and practice, but they can improve there and on the defensive front, as well, Pudwill said.
Along with Ecklebarger, senior hurler Cam Page got in some innings last year and will be part of the pitching rotation along with juniors Blake Steckler and Andrew Hall and sophomore Connor Barrison.
As for Ecklebarger, Pudwill said the three-year varsity starter displays excellent movement on his pitches and has improved his velocity since last year.
Other top returners are seniors Parker Narloch and Chase Hall and junior Grant South. Left fielder Narloch, who was second-team All-Kingco last year, is a speedster and an effective leadoff hitter (he hit .383 last year with 15 RBIs). Infielder Hall is an important piece to the Mustangs’ arsenal and catcher South has a strong arm and a powerful bat.
“This year, the expectation couldn’t be any higher for us. We have a really big focus this year on rising to the occasion,” Narloch said. “This program has such a unique culture, the standard is just so high and it’s just really competitive. Competing out here helps me compete in the classroom and just in everyday things.”
Added Hall: “I think we all seem to play hard, we have a great group of guys this year. I think we can all accomplish something really great if we all put our minds to it. (We) don’t take anything for granted. We’ve come so close (to state) both years and this year we’re not gonna make that mistake again.”
Narloch and Hall said that coach Pudwill is at the center of it all, bringing a focus and energy to the team that will provide fuel when they’re plugging away during those intense games.
