4A/3A teams face gems

Ferris in 4A, and West Valley and North Central in 3A face formidable tasks in Saturday state baseball tournaments.

The seventh-ranked Ferris Saxons are part of a four-team region that includes second-ranked Davis, No. 3 Tahoma and No. 5 Southridge, and advances one team to the quarterfinals.

“Our region is maybe one of the toughest in the state the way it’s set up,” said Saxons coach John Thacker.

Ferris (19-2) plays Southridge (20-4) at 2 p.m. at Avista Stadium following the Davis (21-2) vs.Tahoma (20-3) game.

Southridge is led by pitcher Chad Arnold and shortstop Shawn O’Malley, the Big Nine Conference pitcher and player of the year, who both have committed to Washington State.

“They beat us last year,” said Thacker. “We got off to a bad start and gave up early runs.”

Ferris is seeking its third final-four trip in 12 state appearances.

“We just hope we can compete,” said Thacker. “The track record isn’t very good.”

The 3A openers in Yakima feature four tournament-seasoned teams. WV’s Eagles are making their 12th trip and NC is making its eighth. They have combined to reach three state finals.

NC (11-10) plays at 10 a.m. against top-ranked Newport of Bellevue (18-4), which has 11 top-four state finishes in 16 trips including five titles, winning the 3A in its last state appearance in 2001.

Pitchers Brian Buckham and Dan Hagenson, catcher Ben Harty and outfielder Jason Moseby lead Newport.

That game will be followed by a rematch between WV (17-5) and seventh-ranked Selah (14-9), which is in its 19th state tourney.

“We know what they’ve got and they know what we’ve got,” said Eagles coach Don O’Neal of Selah. “But it makes it a little more nerve-wracking having beaten them the first time.”

Like Thacker, O’Neal said success will depend on working ahead in the pitch count and making routine defensive plays.

Mike Vlahovich