Yakima Bears vs. Everett AquaSox photo gallery

Some of the sights from Wednesday night’s game between the Yakima Bears and Everett AquaSox at Yakima County Stadium. All photos by Andy Sawyer of the Yakima Herald-Republic.

Pak misses its chances at state tourney

TACOMA, Wash. — Stalled by missed opportunities early and often, the Yakima Valley Pepsi Pak had its season come to an end Wednesday night.

Stranding six in the first three innings and 13 for the game, the Pak couldn’t solve left-hander Colin Hering and fell 8-0 to Lakeside Recovery in the championship final of the Senior Legion state tournament at Heidelberg Park.

Battling back from a 13-inning loss to Lakeside on Sunday with two straight loser-out victories over Yakima and Kennewick, Yakima Valley ended its season with a 42-13 record, winning 14 of its last 16 games.

Lakeside Recovery (33-12), which also won the state title in 2006, advances to the Northwest regional in Medford, Ore., next week.

“We had chances, and we battled for nine innings,” said Pak coach Mike Archer. “(Hering) was a lefty who spotted the ball really well. They just did a better job with clutch hits.”

Shortstop Cory Urquhart was named the defensive MVP, and outfielder Trevor Dallman and pitcher Derek Welton also made the all-tournament team. Urquhart did not make an error, Dallman was 11-for-21 and Welton earned a win and a save.

The Pak had a big opportunity in the first inning when Urquhart, Dustin Daniels and Jake Fife loaded the bases with singles with no outs. But Hering escaped with two strikeouts and a popout.

“I think the guys came out of chute ready to go, but that first inning was huge momentum swing,” Archer said. “That was a big situation.”

Lakeside Recovery, which is comprised of players from Skyline, Newport and Issaquah high schools, got on the board in the top of the third with solo home runs by Spencer Rogers and Mario Sanelli off Fife.

The Pak had a chance to respond in the bottom of the third when Daniels led off with a single and Fife walked. But Hering struck his way out of trouble, fanning three consecutive batters.

Daniels and Dallman both finished 3-for-4 as Yakima Valley outhit Lakeside 11-10.

“You have to be good and have some luck. We were good today but somebody was better,” Archer said. “Our guys battled and played Pepsi Pak baseball. They should be proud of the way they played.”

Lakeside Recovery    002    032    010    —    8    10    0
Yakima Valley             000    000    000    —    0    11    0
Hering, Fisher (8) and Sutherland; Fife, Hinton (6) and Snider, Andreas (8).
Highlights: Dustin Daniels (YV) 3-4, Trevor Dallman (YV) 3-4, Spencer Rogers (LR) 3-5, solo HR.

Yakima advances to championship

YAKIMA, Wash. — Kris Loyd drove in five runs as Yakima National remained unbeaten in the Junior State Tournament with a 15-7 win over Kalama on Wednesday at Parker Field.

Improving to 4-0 in the tournament, Yakima advances to Friday’s championship game at 4 p.m. If the local team loses that game it would get a second crack at the title at 7 p.m.

John Piper, Josh Piper and Loyd all went 3-for-5, and the Piper brothers combined to score seven runs.

In Wednesday’s first game, Cascade of Vancouver eliminated Bellevue East 11-10. Cascade will play Kalama today at 6 p.m. to decide Yakima’s championship opponent.

Yakima National 15, Kalama 7 (Yak: Lorenzo Mendoza 2-5, 2 runs; John Piper 3-5, 4 runs; Josh Piper 3-5, 3 runs; Trenton Dupree 2-5, 3 RBI; Jacob Sanders 2-5, 2 runs, RBI; Kris Loyd 3-5, 5 RBI; Kurt Calhoun 2-4, 2 runs, RBI; Gavin Rodriguez 2-3, 2 RBI).

Fischer, Grow power JRW

YAKIMA, Wash. — Tim Fischer was a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate, and Troy Grow added three hits to lead JRW & Associates to an 11-3 victory over C.H. Robinson in an ASA Yakima Adult Fastpitch League game Tuesday at Kiwania Park.

Fischer had a home run among his hits and he also drove in two runs, while Grow added three RBI.

JRW & Associates    003    022    4    —    11    11    3
C.H. Robinson           010    000    2    —    3    6    5
Arndt and Johnson; Seward and Otterstein.
Highlights: Troy Grow (JRW) 3-4, 3 RBI; Tim Fischer (JRW) 4-4, HR, 2 RBI; Sean McCauley (CHR) 2-4, RBI.

Golf Notes: Wanderscheid takes lead

BELLEVUE, Wash. — Zach Wanderscheid got out to a fast start in the Washington Junior Golf Association State Championships as the only golfer in the Boys 15-17 age division to break 70 en route to a one-stroke lead after Wednesday’s opening round.

Wanderscheid, a senior-to-be at Goldendale High School, shot 69 to get an early lead over Olympia’s John Jordan and Auburn’s Broc Johnson.

Eric Gravbrot, who attends West Valley High School, is tied for 28th in the division after opening with a 77.

In the Boys 12-13 Division, Yakima’s Dylan Dietrich shot 85 and is tied for 28th, 14 shots off the lead. In Boys 8-11, Yakima’s Holden Backes is 13th after nine-hole total of 43, 7 shots behind, Ellensburg’s Travis Kay is tied for 16th at 45, Yakima’s Dylan Bissell is 19th at 47, and Selah’s Dylan Apodaca is tied for 26th at 50.

In the Girls 12-13, Bree Wanderscheid is tied for sixth with an 85, 12 shots off the lead.

The event is being contested at three courses in the Bellevue area — Overlake, Glendale and Bellevue Golf Club.

Smeback scores ace at Elks

SELAH, Wash. — Scott Smeback recorded a hole-in-one Wednesday at the Yakima Elks Golf & Country Club. He aced the 164-yard 13th hole using a 9-iron.

Ron Gunner, Ben Graf and Dick Graf witnessed the shot.

Wehr aces No. 16 at Suntides

YAKIMA, Wash. — Rick Wehr of Yakima beat the heat on Sunday with the coolest thing in golf, a hole-in-one. He aced the 16th hole at Suntides Golf Course, using a 9-iron on the 137-yard hole.

His feat was witnessed by his wife, Pat Wehr, and their playing partners, Louie and Jackie Wishert.

Zillah’s Castillo takes 3rd at Junior Nationals

FARGO, N.D. — Chris Castillo, a junior-to-be at Zillah who wrestles for the Lower Valley-based Victory Wrestling Club, took third place in freestyle at 145 pounds at last week’s USA Wrestling Junior and Cadet Nationals.

Castillo’s freestyle weight class included more than 60 wrestlers. He won his first six matches in round-robin, then lost 1-0, 1-0 (in scoring by rounds) to a foe from Ohio, dropping into the third-fourth match, where he defeated the Wyoming state champ 2-0, 2-1.

Castillo also won five of seven matches in Greco Roman, missing a trip to the medal rounds by a single match.

Castillo has won back-to-back high school state titles for Zillah, but his brother, Mike, one of his Leopard coaches, said the competion in Fargo was at an entirely different level.

“Those midwest states, Iowa, Ohio, Minnesota, they’re tough — wrestling is what they live for,” Mike Castillo said. “A one-time state champion there is like a three-time champion here.”

SWIMMING

Wheeler stars at sr. sectionals

Yakima’s Ian Wheeler was one of the dominant swimmers at last week’s USA Swimming senior sectionals at Mount Hood Community College in Gresham, Ore., winning one event, placing second in two others and swimming on a third-place relay in the meet that included top swimmers from throughout the western United States.

Wheeler set a Tacoma Swim Club record of eight minutes, 20.56 seconds in winning the 800 freestyle, which qualified him for next week’s U.S. Open swim championships. He also finished second in the 200 free (1:53.90) and second in the 400 free (4:02.40) and swam a leg on Tacoma’s third-place 800 free relay.

Because the U.S. Open is too soon after senior sectionals, though, Wheeler will bypass that meet and instead swim in the Junior Nationals Aug. 10-14 at Federal Way.

WATER SKIING

WV grad wins regional title

Jeff Milford, a 1989 West Valley graduate now living in Draper, Utah, captured the American Water Ski Association Western Regional slalom title in the Men’s 3 age class last weekend in Windsor, Colo.

The regional title was a first for Milford, 38, who had placed third in the 2004 regionals. The object in slalom skiing being to ski the buoys on the course with the shortest length of rope possible — after starting at 75 feet and moving down to shorter lengths — Milford also did the best he’s ever done at a tournament there, getting down to 39 feet and doing 1 1/2 buoys.

Milford qualified to advance to nationals Aug. 14 in Florida.

YOUTH BASEBALL

Dawgs win two at Wood Bat Nationals

The Yakima Dirt Dawgs competed in the 14-U West Coast Wood Bat Nationals in Manteca, Calif. this past weekend.

On Thursday, Yakima defeated California Missions 4-1 as Mason Hall picked up the win after giving up one earned run and striking out three. Carlos Vijarro, Julian Rivera and Lavonte Allen all drove in a run.

Yakima then defeated Headfirst Gamers 8-0 on Friday. Rivera went 2-for-3 with two doubles, two runs scored and three RBI, Allen was 2-for-4 with two RBI, and pitchers Justin Juarez and Trey Serl combined for six innings of shutout ball while striking out six.

On Saturday, the Dirt Dawgs lost twice, falling 10-7 to the Bombers (Calif.), and 4-0 to Central (Calif.).

Tennis

Yakima team set for Sectionals

The Adult Men’s 4.0 tennis team from Yakima Tennis Club will be competing in the USTA League Pacific Northwest Section Championships that will be held August 7-9 in Portland.

The Yakima Tennis Club team, captained by Gary Johnson, will join over 65 teams and more than 700 players to compete in the Section Championships.

7/30/09 Yakima Valley scorecard

Apple Tree
WOMEN’S DIVISION
Card Game-Teams, July 22
1, Ann Hall-Lynda Matthews-Carol Hammermeister-Bev Morgan 74; 2, Connie Wilson-Nancy Eglin-Claudette Haubner-Sara Keefe 751/4; 3, Linda Lenseigne-Judy Rozelle-Nadyne Snipes-Betty Gilmore 753/4.
Gross: 1, Nancy Eglin 81; 2, (tie) Betty Gilmore 87, Ann Hall 87. Net: 1, Judy Rozelle 70; 2, Claudette Haubner 72.

Goldendale
MEN’S DIVISION
Mt. Adams/Goldendale/Black Rock Creek Home & Home, July 26
Gross: 1, Steve Schnellman 77; 2, Bob Greene 83; 3, Greg Cannon 84. Net: 1, Jim Wallace 71; 2, Duffy Deaver 72; 3, Greg White 73.
Long drive: Abel Daniel. Closest to pin: Ted Smalling.

Mount Adams
MEN’S DIVISION
Bestball, July 23
Gross: 1, Russ Arbuckle-Willie Edwards 64; 2, Russ Arbuckle-Mike Chambers 66; 3, (tie) Able Daniel-Louis Alcala 70, Jon Eric Inions-Marcus Kilthau 70. Net: 1, Al Luther-Greg Luther 56; 2, Abel Daniel-Bernardo Flores 57; 3, (tie) Jim Fulcher-Chon Torres 60, Jim Fulcher-Gary Hyatt 60, Mark Chambers-Ken Hornstein 60, Conrad Besel-Jerry Besel 60.
Orange Ball tournament, July 25
1, (tie) Mike Chambers-Gary Hyatt-Duffy Deaver-Earl Green 152, Tye Barrett-Connie Besel-Keith Fowler-Steve Knopp 152; 3, (tie) Bob Bergeron-Kevin Muffett-Clifford Moses-Brad Story 156, Ben Sifuentes-Lowell Leonard-Vern Stephenson-Randy Cobb 156.
WOMEN’S DIVISION
Bestball, July 22
1. (tie) Connie Rogers-Sheila Whitaker 62, Betty Carl-Ursula Pond 62, 3. Gloria Campbell-Sharon Hedden 63.
Cross Country, July 29
Gross: Betty Carl 43. Net: Sheila Whitaker 29.
COUPLES DIVISION
Selective Drive, July 24
Gross: 1, Mike Chambers-Debbie Anderson 40. Net: 1, Randy Anderson-Maria Frank 293/4; 2, Denver Campbell-Sharon Heden 31; 3, Todd Lenseigne-Connie Rogers 32.

SunTides
COUPLES DIVISION
Friday Night, July 24
Gross: 1, Ron & Marty McClain 38; 2, George & Linda Plummer 39; 3, Tony & Lori Thomas 45. Net: 1, Will Curley-Mary Egan 32; 2, John Garcia-Kristi Turner 35; 3, Chuck & Karin Kohls 35.
MEN’S DIVISION
Tuesday night, July 28
1, Pepsi Cola 791/2; 2, PLSA 721/2; 3, 1st American Realty 711/2; 4, Highlanders 68; 5, Pond Strikers 661/2; 6, DOT 631/2; 7, Kwik-Lok 601/2; 8, Ron’s Coin & Collectables 581/2; 9, Bill’s Produce 58; 10, Legal Couriers 551/2; 11 (tie), Edge Construction Supply 53 and Reeves Financial Services 53; 13, Get A Grip 501/2; 14,  Arctic Circle 49; 15, PSE 481/2; 16, Mortons Supply 391/2; 17, YTC 31/2; 18, Jacksons Sports Bar 20.

Westwood West
WOMEN’S DIVISION
Beat John Rogers, July 22
John Rogers 34.
Pam Kingsboro 31; Adrienne Quinnell 32; Trudy Ledwich 33.

Yakima Country Club
WOMEN’S DIVISION
Beat the Pro, July 28
Hole #10: Shirley Boggess, Carol Barrett, Jean Galbraith, Maralynn Schonian, Karen Greene, Deb Douglas.
Gross: Janine Connell 87. Net: Priscilla Forney 70.

Yakima Elks
MEN’S DIVISION
July 22
4-Man, 1-Net Front, 2-Net Back: Dennis Treat-Bob Lindeman-Monk Sonker-Jim Smith 89; Jack VanVleck-Lee White-Dick Welch-John Jamieson 91; Gary Erb-Jim Rowland-Dick Sippola-Bill Krapf 92.
2-Man bestball — Gross: Willie Edwards-Troy Wilmoth 67; Mark Cuneo-Lee Scrimgeour 71; Jack VanVleck-Dick Welch 71; Jack VanVleck-Lee White 72; Terry Matthews-John Mills 73; Jim Breymeyer-Mark Cuneo 73. Net: Bob Lindeman-Jim Smith 60; Bill Krapf-Gary Erb 60; Bob Lindeman-Dennis Treat 61; Dennis Treat-Monk Sonker 61; Jim Rowland-Bill Krapf 61; Jim Rowland-Dick Sippola 61.
Back 9, 0-10 HCP — Gross: Jack VanVleck 36; Mark Blore 37. Net: Willie Edwards 34; Terry Matthews 34. 11-17 HCP — Gross: Dick Welch 42; Dennis Treat 42. Net: Jim Smith 341/2; Bill Krapf 361/2. 18&O HCP — Gross: Robert Weiss 47; Jim Russi 48. Net: Monk Sonker 361/2; Paul Sugden 37.
WOMEN’S DIVISION
Field Day tournament, July 23
Gross: 1, Nancy Eglin-Jerry Stone 79; 2, Debbie Holbrook-Louis Schaap 90. Net: 1, (tie) Patricia Guston-Shirley Markland 64, Shelly Yarbrough-Evva Lange 64.
Putts: 1, Debbie Holbrook-Louis Schaap 58; 2, Shelly Yarbrough-Evva Lange 59.
COUPLES DIVISION
Friday night, July 24
Gross: Don & Sandy Capps 40; Jim & Linda Paxton 44; John & Bonnie Molsberry 45. Net: Jim Paxton-Connie Markle 301/2; Don Hugdal-Lois Schaap 303/4; Cody McDonnell-Dorothy Grabenstein 331/2.

7/30/09 VSW bulletin board

TENNIS: The annual Yakima City Tennis Tournament will be held Aug. 13-16 at the Yakima Tennis Club. The Juniors tournament will run Aug. 14-15 with the adult event on Aug. 14-15-16. Entry forms are available at Sporthaus and the Yakima Tennis Club (www.yakimatennis.com). The cost is $22 per player for singles and $16 per player for doubles. For more information contact Jacob Whiteside at 509-248-2938 or 509-248-4253.

7/30/09 Valley Sports Weekly

Pool

Upper Valley
FUN IN THE SUN
Standings, July 28
Bud Ice: Ranch #6 86, Curlys 79, Brews & Cues 76, Ranch #2 54, LDI #3 37, T&T 28.
Rollin Rock: LDI #2 69, Red Rooster #1 62, West Valley 60, Ranch #3 57, Ranch #1 53, Bills 44.
Landshark: Ranch #4 74, Old Town Pump 53, Ranch #5 52, LDI #1 34, Red Rooster #2 27.
Missing scoresheets: Bills/Ranch #1; Curlys/T&T.
Table runs: Gracie Granillo.
8-Ball breaks: Mary Olney 2, Virgina Young 1.

9-Ball League
SUMMER LEAGUE
Standings, July 28
Bud: West Valley #4 67, Little Dutch Inn 16 #66, West Valley #3 52, Brews & Cues #3 48, Little Dutch Inn #11 37.
Bud Light: Little Dutch Inn #17 94, Ranch #10 87, Little Dutch Inn #13 73, Ranch #8 70.
Bud Light Lime: Ranch #13 72, Litttle Dutch Inn #12 70, Ranch #11 66, T&T #3 60, Little Dutch Inn #18 56.
Bud Select: Ranch #9 92, Ranch #12 74, Little Dutch Inn #14 69, Susie’s 50, Little Dutch Inn #15 39.

Softball

Yakima Parks and Recreation
MEN’S ASA
Standings, July 28
Aramark Monsters 4-3, Peak Performance/Del Monte 2-5, CH Robinson 2-6, Kimmel Athletics 1-6, JRW & Associates 0-7.
WOMEN’S ASA
Final Standings, July 28
Platinum Division: Yakima Merchants 9-1, Planned Parenthood 8-2, T&T Lounge/Mickey’s Misfits 7-3, Over & Under 2-8, Lady Mavericks 2-8, Sparkaholics 0-10.
Gold Division: Heritage Eagles 9-1, Auto-Metrics 7-3, Boise Cascade 4-6, Diamond Girls 0-10.
CO-REC SUMMER LEAGUE
Final Standings, July 28
A Division: 2nd Street Grill/Tequila’s 9-1, Yakama Naash 5-5, Waffles Caffe` 4-6, Team Beer 2-8, Sports Center 2-8.
B Division: Aqua Sox 8-2, Steel Structures 7-3, Old Town Pump Mudsharks 6-4, Tieton Village Drug/Donkeys 3-7, Bad Boys 2-8, Beer Nutz/Elephant Super Car Wash 2-8.
C Division: The Bandits 8-2, Washed Up 7-3, RJ’s Tire/Strand Fruit 6-4, Shockers 4-6, Meds 4-6, Juggernauts 3-7, Spike’s 3-7.
D Division: Electric Boogaloo 7-3, Inland Fore Protection 6-4, Orchard Rite Outlaws 3-7, VH Legal/CBB Law 3-7, Caribbean Casino 3-7, Moss Adams LLP 3-7.
E Division: BHUC/Northwest Auto Body 7-3, Vijarro’s Crew 7-3, Country Financial 5-3, Structural Components/Yakima Battery 5-5, Christian Life Center 0-8, Fire Rescue 0-10.
F Division: Four Square Fungos 9-1, Little Dutch Inn 7-3, Shields Bombers 7-3, Max’s/Yakima Mechanical 3-7, Chinook Heating 3-7, Vance Heating & AC 2-8.
G Division: Pain Killers 8-3, Ron’s Coin & Collectibles 6-4, Desperado’s 5-5, Brews & Cues 4-6, Akland Pump & Irrigation 4-6, Jack Horner Electric 2-8.
H Division: Hahn BMW Mercedes Benz 7-3, Hooligans 6-4, Country Studs 4-6, Yak-Town Bombers 3-7.
I Division: Y.T.C. Ligers 9-1, Tony Big Cheese Pizza/Havin Fun 6-4, Retrofits 5-5, F.S.J.C. 0-10.
Swimming

AAU Mid-Valley League
Last week’s scores
July 21: Sunnyside 454, Naches 304; Prosser 440, Selah 381.
July 23: Toppenish 483, Selah 345; Sunnyside 530, Grandview 259.

Track and field

Kumler All-Comers
JULY 22
BOYS
4-Under — 50H: Makarios Sugarman 12.4. 50: Sugarman 10.1. LJ: Cooper Arnold and Brandon Lee 4-9. Softball: Arnold 25-7.
5-6 — 50H: Kolby Arnold 10.5. 50: Arnold 10.5. 100: Arnold 19.5. 200: Jackson Cluff 46.1. LJ: Arnold 7-9. Softball: Dominic Kirk 56-10.
7-8 — 50H: Brock Ellis 10.7. 100: Brian Buchanan 15.4. 200: Buchanan 33.7. 400: Ellis 1:20. LJ: Ellis 12-0. Softball: Peter Ramirez 104-9.
9-10 — 50H: Dallin Cluff 9.2. 100: Cluff 16.2. 200: Spencer Hert 35.4. 400: Hert 1:26. 800: Hert 3:34. 1600: Hert 7:35. LJ: Peterson Bohannon 11-0. HJ: Bohannon 3-10. SP: Caleb Harris 18-7.
11-12 — 50H: Conner Burton 8.9. 100H: Jared Ellis 19.3. 100: Ellis 15.2. 400: Ellis 1:16. 800: David Eisenhauer 3:05. 1600: Eisenhauer 7:10. LJ: Ellis 11-8. HJ: Burton 4-4. TJ: Eisenhauer 24-11. SP: Eisenhauer 23-1.
13-14 — 100: Erik Burton 12.5. 200: Burton 27.8. SP: Burton 38-3. HJ: Burton 4-10.
15-16 — 100: Darren White 12.0. 200: White 24.0. 400: Ruben Prado 1:03. 1600: Grey Peone. HJ: Prado 5-2. LJ: White 17-2.
17-18 — 110H: Kennedy Sarmiento 15.6. 100: John Lugo 11.0. 200: Lugo 26.0. 400: Elias Medrano 54.0. 800: Caleb Reynolds 2:14. TJ: Frank Navarro 42-9. LJ: Lugo 19-2.
GIRLS
4-Under — 50H: Missy Zirkle 13.1. 50: Zirkle 11.8. LJ: Vanessa Johnson 4-10. Softball: Maliyah Gordon 22-4.
5-6 — 50H: Ailin Guzman 10.6. 50: Eboni Johnson 9.5. 100: Johnson 19.6. 200: Johnson 41.7. LJ: Johnson 7-2. Softball: Johnson 30-11.
7-8 — 50H: Victoria Leibert 10.2. 100: Leibert 18.2. 200: Hannah Trammell 40.4. 400: Leibert 1:29. LJ: Sara Zirkle 8-7. Softball: Jessalyn Lee 54-3.
9-10 — 50H: Jenny Nobbs 9.6. 100: Julianna Gainer 16.8. 200: Nobbs 37.7. 400: Nobbs 1:27. 800: Erica Hutt 3:39. HJ: Nobbs 3-10. LJ: Nobbs 10-0. SP: Hutt 18-2.
11-12 — 50H: Brooke Benner 8.8. 100H: Keanna Fine 19.7. 100: Fine 13.8. 200: Fine 29.7. 400: Fine 1:12. LJ: Benner 11-4. TJ: Nicole Nobbs 24-9. SP: Nobbs 21-5.
13-14 — 100H: Madison Ellis 19.6. 100: Briana Rangel 14.5. LJ: Ellis 11-0. TJ: Charis Calvert 16-10. SP: Ellis 16-9.
15-16 — 100: Shanai Campbell 13.4. LJ: Ayla Schmick 13-4.

NW Voices: Niehaus still making signature calls

SEATTLE — The old man has still got it.

Just when you think you’ve heard it all from Hall of Fame broadcaster Dave Niehaus, the voice of the Mariners delivers a gem for the ages.

“Sitting next to him for 10 hours every day, I know he still has it,” says Rick Rizzs, the No. 2 man in the broadcast booth for 24 years. “Just the excitement and the way he does a ballgame. I see it. I feel it. I hear it. Like the comment he made, ‘It’s time for a little old-time religion.’ And Junior came through with a home run to help win a game against the Diamondbacks.

“It was one of the most exciting moments in the season. And Dave just added to it. He pulled it out of his back pocket. It’s an incredible thing. And that’s how you know he still has it. He’s still able to come up with something you never heard.”

“The fans are hoping to catch a little bit of old-time religion right here, baby, with Junior stepping up to the plate. Here comes the stretch and the pitch to Junior is on the way. Swing and a fly ball hit to deep right-center field! That baby is going to beeeeeeeee — FLY AWAY! THE OLD TIME RELIGION LIVES! JUNIOR DOES IT! A two-run home run and we are tied at 3-3. My oh my! Magic is back at least for a night.”

Niehaus’ voice is unmistakable. It varies in cadence, accent and timbre. It climbs the ladder to tenor to call a high strike or drops low and slow with an extra dollop of that Midwestern molasses for a ball at the shins. It’s coarse from a 45-year-old, two-pack-a-day cigarette habit, and it has introduced Mariners fans to rye bread and wry humor in the same sentence.

No one call captures the brilliance of Niehaus. The Ken Griffey Jr. home run just happens to be symbolic of the latest chapter of his life. Was the 74-year-old Niehaus, an aging lion in winter, describing Junior or himself?

Admittedly he has stopped trying to differentiate between curveballs and sliders, preferring the term breaking ball instead. And every so often, he’ll break into a home-run call on a routine fly ball.

“I guess in many ways Junior and I are a lot alike when you think about it in those terms,” Niehaus said. “I truly believe this will be his last year in baseball. I don’t know that for a fact, but that’s just what I believe. As for me, well I don’t know when this will end. I’ve always said, I’ll leave when I don’t enjoy it anymore, and I can’t envision a time when I won’t enjoy it.

“But there’s other factors you have to think about also. All you can do is hope and pray you’re able to continue doing what you love to do.”

There have been recent reports of Niehaus’ fading health.

During a trip earlier this month, Niehaus woke up in his hotel room feeling disoriented and was rushed to a Boston hospital in an ambulance.

“Just a precaution,” said Niehaus, who was released after a few hours. “Nothing too serious.”

But whenever Niehaus misses a game, it’s cause for concern. In the first 11 years after taking the job in 1977, he missed one game. In later years as his health has declined, he has missed many more.

In 1996, Niehaus suffered a heart attack that required two surgeries to improve circulation around his heart. Afterward, he kicked the cigarette habit.

The only other major scare occurred in 2007 when Niehaus was hospitalized with pneumonia. Each season he takes four days off around the All-Star break.

“I’m not going to go so far as to say I’m in the best shape of my life, but I feel good, I really do,” Niehaus said. “I’ve had to take precautions with what I eat and my health. But without a doubt, one thing that drives me is simply getting up every day and going to the ballpark.

“You want an incentive to live and to live a long time, well, that’s it right there.”

He is as passionate and energized as he was the day Edgar Martinez smacked a series-clinching, two-run double against the New York Yankees in the American League Division Series that magical summer of 1995.

“He was able to be there in the moment and set it up,” Rizzs said. “There isn’t a better call in the history of the Mariners — nor will there ever be — than Edgar’s double down the left-field line. Joey Cora had the bunt base hit. Junior had the base hit up the middle.

“If you were listening to the game on the radio, you were at the ballgame. Dave said if Edgar gets a pitch, a line drive in the gap has a chance to score Junior with his speed from first base. And on the very next pitch … ”

“Right now, the Mariners are looking for the tie. They would take a fly ball. They would love a base hit into the gap and they could win it with Junior’s speed. The stretch and the 0-1 pitch on the way to Edgar Martinez and swung on and lined down the left-field line for a base hit! Here comes Joey, here is Junior to third base. THEY’REGOINGTOWAVEHIMIN! The throw to the plate will be late! The Mariners are going to play for the AMERICAN LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP! I dooooon’t beeeeelieve it! It just continues. My ohhhhhhh my!”

“Dave is one of the better storytellers in the history of the game,” producer/engineer Kevin Cremin said. “To be able to create the drama, to set it up so well without stepping over and to make the fans feel like they’re a part of it is a real gift. Dave has that gift. He’s one of the few in baseball who can do that.”

And to think, Niehaus nearly became a dentist. During the 1950s, the native of Princeton, Ind., enrolled in Indiana University’s dentistry program.

“One morning I woke up and thought I couldn’t bear staring down someone’s throat at 9 o’clock in the morning for the rest of my life,” he said. “Then I stopped by the college’s radio and television station, and I’ve been doing this ever since.”

Any retelling of the Niehaus story includes three parts.

• His days with the California Angels when he was teamed in the broadcast booth with Dick Enberg and Don Drysdale from 1969 to 1976. The trio also broadcast UCLA football and men’s basketball from 1973 to 1976.

• His early years with the Mariners. He declined the job, but later accepted it after actor Danny Kaye, an original part-owner, convinced him to leave Los Angeles. The Mariners didn’t have a winning season until 1991, including three seasons in which they lost more than 100 games. It was 15 years of bad lineups, terrible ownership, sparse Kingdome crowds and seasons that found the Mariners out of the pennant race by the All-Star break.

• And the miracle season in ’95 when Niehaus endeared himself to the Mariners faithful during a magnificent pennant drive, a one-game playoff against the California Angels and two postseason series with the Yankees and Cleveland. That season bonded the city with the ballclub, making it impossible for the team to move to Tampa, Fla., and possible to build a new stadium.

As reliable as Seattle rain, Niehaus has witnessed it all.

He’s been an avuncular figure with thinning gray hair and striking blue eyes telling baseball stories deep into the night. He was behind the microphone for no-hitters by Randy Johnson in 1990 and Chris Bosio in ’93. He was there for Griffey’s first home run and Gaylord Perry’s 300th win.

And Niehaus threw out the first pitch at Safeco Field.

“I would have made a lousy dentist,” he said. “In my life, I’ve never worked a day. Not one day.”

— Percy Allen/The Seattle Times

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