Mercer Island-Bellevue team on track to defend title
Reporter Staff
A combined majors league (11- to 12-year-olds) softball team from Mercer Island and Bellevue is defending its state title this week in the District Nine All-Star Tournament.
On July 9, the team remained undefeated as it beat Sammamish 21-0. The team’s pitchers combined for a no-hitter while the bats amassed 18 hits (six for extra bases). Islander Julie Blumenstein went two for three and pounded a triple in the win. On Saturday, the team beat Kirkland National/Redmond, 7-1. District Nine picked Mercer Island’s own Claire McCarthy as the game’s offensive highlight for hitting three for five.
The team played the Falls Little League team on July 13 (after Reporter deadline), with the winner advancing into the championship game at 6 p.m. on Wednesday night at Eastlake High School.
The combined juniors softball All-Star team (13- to 14-year-olds) from Mercer Island and Bellevue suffered a tough first-round loss to Sammamish on July 11, 9-8, in extra innings. Pitcher Tennessee Hardesty allowed no walks in seven strong innings; Mercer Island hitter Amanda Mayo went three for four with two triples and a double; and Abby Elggren added a defensive gem, making a spectacular running catch in foul territory down the right field line, but at least eight fielding errors and three unearned runs allowed in the top of the seventh inning allowed Sammamish to hang on for the win. The Mercer Island/Bellevue girls did score two in the bottom of the seventh inning and got the tying run to third base, but no further. The team was due to play again on Tuesday night, July 14.
After an impressive first-round win, the Mercer Island 9- to 10-year-olds softball All-Stars fell Saturday to the Kirkland American Little League team. Anna Gallagher doubled in the effort. The team lost a consolation game, 11-8, to Bellevue East.
Anna Gallagher had another good day at the plate, going two for four on Saturday. Shaune Lam collected a double to help the Islanders.
On Saturday morning, a combined 10- to 11-year-olds team fell to Snoqualmie Valley North, 11-10, in extra innings. The team was up 10-8 with two out in the bottom of the sixth inning, but couldn’t hold the lead. Snoqualmie tied the game to send it to extra innings and then pushed across a run in the bottom of the final inning to win. District Nine again picked Mercer Island’s own Katie Hendrickson as the offensive highlight for going three for five hits in the game.
