Mercer Island closed out pool play with their 4th straight mercy rule win, 12-2 in 5 innings over the Idaho state champions from Post Falls LL.  Mercer Island will play the Alaska state champions from Sitka LL  in the NW Regional semi-finals on Thursday at 7:30pm.

After 2 scoreless innings, Mercer Island took advantage of two Idaho fielding errors in the 3rd to score 5 runs on a single by Keegan Ogard, a 2-run double by Max Hibbert and a 2-run Home Run by Anthony Scalzo:

Mercer Island added 3 more in the 4th when David Emanuels led off with a double, Josh Stenberg walked, Nick Taylor hit an RBI single, Sam Pugel singled to left to load the bases and Keegan Ogard hit a 2-run double to make it 8-0.  Idaho got one back in the bottom of the 4th when a runner scored from 2nd on a wild pitch, but their hopes were quickly dashed in the top of the 5th when David Emanuels and Nick Taylor walked, Sam Pugel loaded the bases with a bunt, and then Brandon Lawler unloaded them with a grand slam home run to put Washington up 12-1.  Idaho picked up one unearned run in the 5th, but coudn't get another run across to push MI to a full 6-inning game.  Keegan Ogard, Josh Stenberg, Brandon Lawler and William Mansfield pitched for Washington, collectively allowing 1 earned run on 3 singles and 3 walks, with all but Stenberg staying under 20 pitches to preserve their elibility for the semi-finals. 

Keegan Ogard and Max Hibbert each finished the game 2-4 with a run scored and 2 RBI, Hibbert with two doubles and Ogard with one.  Anthony Scalzo was 1-2 with 2 RBI on his home run.  Sam Pugel was 1-1, and reached on a bunt and scored once.  Nick Taylor was 1-2 with an RBI and scored twice.  David Emanuels was 1-2 with a double and run scored.  Lawler had 4RBI on his home run.

Game 4 photos by David Ogard