By Ed Shepherd
CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Big game, big day, big finish.

Highline ushered in the postseason in a large -- and in charge -- way, coming into Monday's game against Lindbergh tied for first in the Seamount League in 2A and leaving untied, beating the Eagles resoundingly, 11-1, via the 10-run mercy rule in a shortened game of six innings at Mosier Field.

So that explains the "big game" as the Pirates now go into the postseason with an 8-6 record, traveling to a neutral field, Russell Road in Kent, to play the Sammamish Totems at 1 p.m. this coming Saturday. The Totems are a team the Pirates beat once already this season, 5-4, in non-league action. But, that win was close, and Pirates head coach Casey Rice knows that fact. And as everyone was kneeling, looking at Rice, excited about going to the playoffs, caution was issued.

"We beat these guys before, but it was a good game, they are a good team, and we need to come ready to play," he said.

So, from one big game to the next for the Pirates, it was a big win, but it doesn't get any easier from here. Each game just gets more and more important from here on out for the Pirates in the playoffs.

The Highline seniors, on this seniors night, all made things happen in a lot of ways and in big ways. Nice job for them on their big day of being honored.

Seniors, who received colorful, helium-filled, balloons and had nice words read about them before the game, are Jacob Hines, Danny Perkins and Viktor Brose.

Perkins pitched the whole game for the Pirates, strong in that regard with a half-dozen strikeouts and a one-run-allowed on a handful of hits. And he also made noise with the bat late in the game.

Early in the game, in the Pirates' third inning, after a Ryan Moormeyer hit, it was Hines hitting him home with an RBI double, making it 1-0. Then Hines, shortly thereafter, made it 2-0, stealing home. Another run made it 3-0.

The biggest thing of this game, offensively, was Hines' work, breaking the scoring ice for his team.

"It pumped us up, got us going," said Hines when questioned on the nice double dose of good things done, there, by him, for the team.

So, with the Pirates having a 3-0 lead, the Eagles scored a run back in the top of the fourth on a couple hit, before the Pirates went up, 5-1, in the bottom half of the fourth with a couple insurance runs. Those two runs, largely, due to a Brose triple, with Hagler and Sagmoen, both, on base via a hit and walk.

In the Eagles' top of the fifth the Pirates' defense came on strong behind pitcher Perkins. The Eagles got a runner on first base via a single, then he stole second. But, on the ensuing Perkins' pitch and subsequent Eagles' grounder, hit by the next Eagles batter, to David Perkins, on third base,something big happened for the Pirates. Perkins fielded the hot grounder, threw to first base on target, for the out. Then, same play, Hagler, alert, on first, threw back to Perkins, standing on third. The Eagles runner on second had decided to make a break for third when Perkins threw to first. But, Hagler's throw was perfect, into the mitt of Perkins, who swept the glove,forward, and, watched the Eagles' runner slide into the leather before hitting the bag, safely. Out! And, double play!

That particular play would turn out to be a real nice backing for Perkins, who watched the next Eagles' batter hit it to the fence in left-center field for a double. And, the next batter reached base, too, with a single. So, a four-run cushion, at this time, would have been in danger of an Eagles' two-out rally, maybe, if not for that great double play turned in by Hagler and David Perkins. So, runners at the corners, for the Eagles,now, but, with two outs, and, Danny Perkins struck the next batter out to end the Eagles' fifth threat.

Then, came the bottom of the sixth after that and Hines, Perkins, Hagler, all got hits, loading the bases, for, Danny Perkins, coming up to bat, next. And he hit the ball hard past the outfielders and ran all the way around the first three bases, and, the fourth, on an errant throw home, which meant an inside-the-park home run. So, 9-1 Pirates, on that action getting the many fans in the fans cheering, as, they did a good job supporting their team all game.

Two more runs crossed for the Pirates in the bottom of six, so it was 11-1, and, if a team gets ahead by 10 runs, the game is over, so, this one was finished with that major blast of offense by Perkins. What is taken away from this kind of game, being seniors?

"It was a nice way to finish the regular season, we scored a lot of runs, in front of our fans, on our home field," said Brose.

And, after the game, the Pirates' seniors were asked about this being the last home game for them, after having played four years for the Pirates' baseball team.

Did they cry when they were introduced with nice words read by an announcer?

"After I get home, I will," said Hines.

"No, I didn't," said Brose. "It was bittersweet."

Perkins heard that and said, "Oh, you cried, Viktor. I saw you," teasing his teammate, the other captain on the team.

And, Perkins cried?

"No," he said, before adding, "Maybe, a little."

So, it was nice before the game, then, too, the things read about the seniors on a piece of paper by the game announcer, things said from these three seniors' teammates.

About Hines, one thing said on the paper was, "Wouldn't want to play baseball with anyone else."

Another said of Hines, "Great teammate, with the will to win."

A third said, "Ultimate teammate."

Then, for Brose, one teammate said, "Always has a positive attitude."

Another said, "Silent but deadly."

A third said, "Can always make you laugh."

And, then, for Perkins, one said, "Comes in clutch when we need him."

Another said, "Team leader."

And a third said, "Always there for you."

So, nice remarks there thought of by these seniors' teammates for their upperclassmen, and for remarks for the postseason, what's left?

Perkins said what he feels about the coming postseason, somewhere the Pirates did not get to last season, "We're not done yet."

When will he and his teammates be done is a good question.

"May 30th," said Perkins, quickly answering the question.

The state championship game is May 30 for 2A.

Sammamish is the first order of business for the Pirates, then whoever after that is next, all the way down the line, to what's last, as, one already knows, now, just what that is, happening on May 30. And, one can guess by what Perkins said, this team's goal is to win a state championship on that big date.