ATM rallies for third
 
Murphy's seven-run sixth inning propels team to 11-6 win

By ROGER UNDERWOOD
YAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC

In time, things will change.

Selah's players, coaches and fans will focus more on an exemplary season and less on the way it ended Saturday at Yakima County Stadium.

Fondly recalled will be the Vikings' 21-5 record and a 10-game winning streak that included a memorable victory over Ellensburg for the CWAC district championship.

Smiles will result from thoughts of the program's third Class 2A final four in four years and sixth since 2000. And coach Mike Archer will always remember catcher Matt Snider and first baseman-pitcher Stephan Schmidt, standouts among the four seniors on his roster.

"Both of those kids," he said with visible emotion, "had great careers as Vikings."

Neither went out as desired, however, with eight unearned runs leading to an 11-6 loss to Archbishop Murphy that relegated Selah to fourth place.

The Everett-based Wildcats (22-4) finished third.

"We played good ball for five innings," Archer said, "but that obviously wasn't enough."

Not with two errors marring a seven-run Murphy sixth inning that obliterated a 5-4 Viks lead.

To that point, Selah had overcome two prior indiscretions that had left only half of the Wildcats' tallies off starter Kyle Fickes earned.

An unearned Murphy run in the second was neutralized by Trent Douglass' third-inning triple and Alex Fickes' run-scoring fielder's choice.

The Vikings then benefited from some Wildcats' largesse, with two errors aiding a four-run Selah fourth. Douglass' RBI triple -- the junior shortstop finished 3-for-3 -- and RBI sacrifices by Snider and Allen Noble highlighted the frame.

But Selah wouldn't score again until the seventh via sophomore Kurt Lindemann's solo homer.

Capitalizing on the Vikings' miscues were Matt Huggins, who doubled home two runs in the fourth, and Keanen Albright, whose two-bagger scored two more in the sixth.

Murphy's Jacob Oster was 3-for-3 and Connor Huesers totaled three RBI.

"This game obviously was not typical of our season," Archer said. "These kids worked their tails off. They deserved to be here."

Selah seventh: A. Fickes flies out to left; Lindemann homers to right; Gonzalez grounds out to second; Schmidt doubles to right-center; K. Fickes pops out to short. One run, two hits, no errors, one runner left on base.   

ATM sixth: Peterson flies out to left; Oster bunt single to third; Huggins sacrifice bunt to third, safe and advances to third on throwing error, Oster scores; Huesers RBI single to left-center; Waldron grounds into fielder's choice at third, Huesers advances to third on throwing error; Waldron steals second; Varriano flies out to left; Albright 2RBI double to right-center; Kane RBI double to left; Schmidt replaces K. Fickes on mound; Hines RBI single to left, takes second on throw to plate; Peterson RBI single to center; Peterson caught stealing second. Seven runs, six hits, two errors, no runners left on base.      

Selah sixth: Snider grounds out to short; Douglass infield single behind second; Brader walks; Noble grounds into 4-6-3 double play. No runs, one hit, no errors, one runner left on base. 

ATM fifth: Varriano walks; Albright pops up bunt to third, Varriano doubled out at first; Kane grounds to short, safe on fielding error; Hines grounds out to short. No runs, no hits, one error, one runner left on base.

Selah fifth: Lindemann grounds out 1-5-3; Gonzalez strikes out looking; Schmidt walks; K. Fickes grounds out to first. No runs, no hits, no errors, one runner left on base.

ATM fourth: Hines strikes out; Peterson grounds to third, safe on throwing error; Oster singles to center; Huggins 2RBI double to center; Huggins takes third on wild pitch; Huesers RBI single to center; Waldron grounds into 6-4-3 double play. Three runs, three hits, one error, no runners left on base.   

Selah fourth: Gonzalez walks; Schmidt singles to left; K. Fickes grounds to short, safe on throwing error, Gonzalez scores on error; Snider RBI sacrifice bunt; Douglass RBI triple to center; Brader walks; Noble RBI suicide squeeze to first; A. Fickes flies out to center. Four runs, two hits, one error, one runner left on base.     

ATM third: Varriano strikes out; Albright flies out to left; Kane grounds out to short. No runs, no hits, no errors, no runners left on base.

Selah third: Douglass doubles to left; Brader grounds out to third, Douglass advances to third; Noble walks; A. Fickes RBI fielder's choice to third, Noble forced at second; Lindemann grounds into fielder's choice to short. One run, one hit, no errors, one runner left on base. 

ATM second: Peterson reaches on booted grounder to third; Oster singles to right; Huggins sacrifice bunt to pitcher, runners advance; Huesers RBI groundout to second; Waldron grounds out to pitcher. One run, one hit, one error, one runner left on base.  

Selah second: Schmidt grounds out to third; K. Fickes grounds out to first; Snider grounds out to pitcher. No runs, no hits, no errors, no runners left on base.

ATM first: Varriano grounds out to short; Albright singles to center; Albright advances to second on balk; Kane walks; Kane picked off first, caught stealing; Hines grounds out to short. No runs, one hit, no errors, one runner left on base.

Selah first: A. Fickes grounds out to short; Lindemann grounds out to first; Gonzalez grounds out to short. No runs, no hits, no errors, no runners left on base.

Starting lineups
   Selah -- A. Fickes, 2b; Lindemann, rf; Gonzalez, 3b; Schmidt, 1b; K. Fickes, p; Snider, c; Douglass, ss; Brader, cf; Noble, lf.
   Archbishop Murphy -- Varriano, cf; Albright, lf; Kane, 3b; Hines, 1b; Peterson, c; Oster, ss; Huggins, 2b; Huesers, dh (for Kegley, rf), Waldron, p.