A foursome of Mercer Island High School (MIHS) graduates appreciated every pitch, at-bat, ground ball and journey around the basepaths this summer.

It’s all about living in the moment and enjoying their time together on the baseball diamond, said pitcher Austin Cupic.

Cupic collaborated with his fellow Islander grads Gov Aufranc (pitcher), Cutter Werdel (shortstop) and Jack Varney (first baseman) as members of the Redmond Dudes Baseball Club of the Pacific International League during games throughout the Northwest and Western Canada.

The Islanders were all in the spotlight in 2022 when they helped lead their squad to the 3A state championship.

For Cupic, flashes of that memorable season came rushing back when the Dudes were in action.

“If those were my last games ever playing with those guys, I wouldn’t want to have it any other way because we just had so much fun — still being able to compete on the same field,” he said.

Added Werdel: “To play with my MIHS teammates again was just like how I remember it in high school. It was great to catch up with all my buddies and to have the opportunity to play with such good baseball players again.”

Aufranc said the guys will always be his brothers on and off the field. Varney added that he was able to play loose and savor each moment while mentally reliving their surreal and unforgettable state championship season.

All four players will continue their baseball careers on the college level this season: Cupic at the University of San Francisco; Aufranc at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon; Varney at Westcliff University in Irvine, California; and Werdel at Chapman University in Orange, California.

The Mercer Island dudes had a blast playing for the Redmond Dudes this summer under the tutelage of stellar coaches Colton Turner and Mason Mcalister and further guidance from general manager Colin McBride. The Dudes concluded their season with a 13-11 conference record and 16-17 overall mark.

“I think it benefited me by making connections. I met a lot of new people that have opened up a lot of opportunities for me to get better on and off the field,” Aufranc said.

Werdel noted that the experience was a sterling learning tool while competing almost every day in June and July.

“The benefit of having that many reps with a good group of people is all I can ask for when it comes to summer ball as it prepares me heading into next season,” he said.

Following Varney’s time with the Dudes, McBride set the stage for the Islander to complete his summer ball journey with the Victoria (BC) HarbourCats of the West Coast League.

“Without Colin and without playing with my teammates, who allowed me to kind of put myself out there because they were making me look better, I would say that I really benefited in playing great competition,” Varney said about playing loose and advancing his love for baseball.

Speaking of the HarbourCats, the Dudes — with Varney still on board — defeated the home team, 8-1, on June 25 behind Cupic’s solid nine-inning pitching performance with seven strikeouts and no walks.

Cupic praised his Dudes coaches for helping the players develop their skills against top-notch talent.

“They do a really good job of making sure everyone is best prepared to get back on campus because they both played in college themselves,” he said.