Granite Falls tops Murphy 9-8 to remain undefeated

Published 11:05 pm Thursday, April 15, 2010

GRANITE FALLS — Archbishop Murphy’s softball team was certainly ready to play its game against Granite Falls on Thursday, scoring three runs in the first inning.

Then the Tigers showed why they are undefeated.

Granite Falls matched Archbishop Murphy’s three runs in the third inning and had an answer for everything the Wildcats did en route to a 9-8 Cascade Conference win.

The Tigers’ (8-0 league, 9-0 overall) victory not only created more separation between themselves and the second-place Wildcats (6-2, 7-3) in the conference standings, but it was their fourth win in four days. They look to complete an undefeated week today when they face Coupeville. They play at Murphy Monday. The team’s busy schedule is due to games which had been postponed because of recent rain showers.

Having so many games in such a short period of time means that Granite Falls’ starting pitcher Alyssa Arndt has pitched a lot of innings. Tigers’ coach Candi Reeves decided to pull Arndt after the fifth inning of Thursday’s game and give her arm a rest. She left with a 7-6 lead.

Arndt, who moved to first base, was replaced by freshman Alicia Amundson.

But Amundson didn’t play like a freshman.

She made quick work of Archbishop Murphy in the top of the sixth inning, getting Maddy Huggins and Marea Homes to fly out and striking out Amber Manuel.

In the bottom of the sixth inning the Tigers gave Amundson more of a cushion, scoring two more runs. Arndt led off the inning with a triple to center field. Arndt scored on the following at bat, when Sarah Hensley singled to right field. Caitlyn Munce singled to left field and Hensley scored when Archbishop Murphy’s Kendall Erickson had trouble handling the ball, giving the Tigers a 9-6 lead.

“To have a big inning like that shows a lot of mental toughness,” Reeves said.

Amundson showed a little mental toughness of her own in the top of the seventh inning.

Anna Whitehouse led off the inning for the Wildcats, grounding to third base, but Tigers’ third baseman Chelaina Crews overthrew first base and Whitehouse reached second base on the error. Olivia Murphy singled to score Whitehouse to cut the Granite Falls lead to 9-7. Nicole Melseth followed with an RBI single to center field to score Murphy, cutting the Tigers’ lead to 9-8.

With runners on first and third and two outs, Huggins came to the plate. Amundson showed the poise of a seasoned veteran, working the count full and getting Huggins to fly out. Amundson made the catch to end the game.

“That was amazing,” Reeves said. “You would never know she was a freshman.”

“Alicia did great. I like having her because I can depend on her to throw strikes and she doesn’t usually get hit very hard either,” Arndt said after the game.

Logan Thomas batted 3-for-4 with a run scored for the Tigers and Hensley was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and three RBI.

Then there were the other Tiger freshmen. Munce was 3-for-4 with a run scored and two RBI and Emily Walbon batted 2-for-4 with a run scored and two RBI.

Reeves said such a competitive game was good for her team.

“You like to have your little tests throughout the season. When you get in a competitive situation it’s a real test of where they are at. If you don’t get tested periodically it can work against you,” Reeves said.

At Granite Falls H.S.

A. Murphy3000302—864

Granite Falls003132x—9166

Manuel and Homes. Arndt, Amundson (6) and Spencer. WP—Arndt. LP—Manuel. S—Amundson. 2B—Newgard (AM). 3B—Arndt (GF), Hensley (GF), Walbon (GF). Records—Archbishop Murphy 6-2 league, 7-3 overall. Granite Falls 8-0, 9-0.