Turba and the Islanders are winning big this season

Published 6:30 pm Thursday, April 23, 2026

When pitcher Will Turba steps onto the mound, he’s confident in his ability to attack hitters and record outs.

While remaining calm and focused, the Mercer Island High School (MIHS) senior has helped lead his squad to immense success this season. At press time, the Islanders sported a 12-4 overall record and stood in second place in the all-3A KingCo Crest division with a 9-2 record.

Turba, a righty with a 2-1 record at press time, said he loves being in the spotlight when it’s his turn to pitch while his teammates provide support as each inning ticks by.

“We’ve got great energy in the dugout. The bats have been really hot, which has helped so much for us pitchers,” said Turba, adding that the Islanders are hitting .350 as a team. “It’s really fun. (We) go out there and we’re all really close — everyone’s a friend on the baseball team, and we hang out outside of baseball. That’s huge to have that chemistry; it definitely helps a lot come game time.”

Turba — who has committed to play at Pacific University in Oregon next season — noted that fellow pitchers Kalden Short (a senior), Chase Koehler (a senior) and Brady Dolence (a sophomore) have also been notching some solid outings this season.

One highlight for Turba this spring was his performance against Liberty (Renton) on March 30. With his fastball and slider getting the job done, he struck out 11 batters and pitched six innings in the Islanders’ 5-2 victory at Island Crest Park.

On the hitting front, Turba said that sophomores Liam Sirianni and Tino Pozzo have been tearing it up with .462 and .350 averages, respectively. Dolence has cranked up his bat for a .333 average with four homers.

Baseball came into Turba’s life when he began playing T-ball and he’s stuck with the sport ever since. When the Turbas moved to Mercer Island from Minnesota when he was in third grade, he slid into the local baseball scene.

Turba is currently taking part in his fourth year in the MIHS program, with about two and half years of varsity experience under his belt. He previously played first base and pitched, and switched to a pitching-only role starting his junior year.

The Reporter asked Turba a series of questions to get a behind-the-scenes glimpse into his life:

What would be a dream job for you in the future?

I’d love to play in the MLB, but it’s a far-fetched goal.

If you could go to dinner with one person, who would that be?

Probably an MLB player, like a pitcher or something. Maybe like Bryan Woo on the Mariners there. That’d be pretty cool.

What’s your favorite movie of all time?

I like a lot of Adam Sandler’s movies, like “Happy Gilmore” is good.

What’s the best piece of advice that you would give an incoming freshman coming into high school?

Just stay on top of your work, you know? Don’t fall behind because it’s hard to catch up.

What’s your favorite restaurant on the Island?

Definitely Mioposto.

What’s a pet peeve of yours?

I hate it when people chew with their mouth open and make a lot of sound while they eat.

How do you spend your spare time when you’re not at school or playing baseball?

I love golfing. I try to get out to the range or get on the course with a couple of buddies. It’s a big thing of mine, a big hobby.

What superpower would you like to have?

I would like to fly. I feel like that’d be pretty sick.