The Mercer Island baseball team faced on of it’s toughest tests last Friday, when Lake Washington came to Island Crest Park.

The two KingCo opponents battled it out on the mound – both sides held the game tied at zero until the final inning of the night when the Kangs swung two around the bases to win the game 2-0.

Prior to seventh inning, the teams were neck and neck as Zach Johnson and Alex Himstead held off each other’s team from the center of the field. Despite not scoring until the final inning, the Kangs had six hits off of Alex HImstead, who had two errors and two strikes during the game. Lake Washington’s Zach Johnson pitched the full game, allowing just two hits and striking out eight from the Mercer Island lineup.

In the end it was runs from Theo Alexander and Chase Keieleber that gave the Kangs the edge. Only Max Dammeier and Mack Schlamp were able to get a piece of Johnson’s pitching for the Islanders, despite 22 at bats.

The Islanders played two other spring break games last week, traveling to play Juanita on Monday, losing 3-1, before falling 1-0 to defending state champs Mount Si on Wednesday.

Lake Washington has stared the KingCo season with three straight wins, beating Sammamish, Liberty and the Islanders. Prior to that the team was 4-2 in non-conference matches.

The Kangs play Juanita Monday, April 9 at Lee Johnson Field in Kirkland at 7 p.m. Mercer Island hosts Interlake on Monday in a 6 p.m. game at Island Crest Park.