Ephrata shuts out Grizzlies

Tigers win defensive battle on the mound

EPHRATA — The Tigers' pitching staff and defense held the Sunnyside Grizzlies scoreless through seven innings Tuesday to give Ephrata a 5-0 victory.

The first two-and-a-half innings did not offer much in scoring for either team.

Michael Ratigan was the starting pitcher for Ephrata and in his first inning, threw two strike outs to give his team to the dish. The Tigers left two on in the bottom of the first after a fly out by Kevin Sieverkropp.

"It was a good defensive game," said Ephrata head coach Dave Johnson. "We made sure our attitude was right this week and came out and competed."

In the bottom of the second, Ephrata got their bats swinging with Nathan Nash belting a double and driving in Thomas Bosssert who had been walked and stolen second during Nash's at bat.

Austin Chamberlain lined up at the plate with Nash and Aaron Bracht in scoring position on third and second respectively and Aaron Lutz sitting tight at first. Chamberlain hit a double and sent Nash and Bracht home to make it 3-0. Chamberlain's double ended the inning's scoring for the Tigers.

Ephrata's defense continued to shine in the third, with Ratigan striking out his first batter and the Tigers getting back to hitting after just four batters for Sunnyside.

After leaving three on in the fourth, Ephrata came roaring back in the fifth inning.

Two early outs put the Tigers behind in the count but Ephrata was able to squeeze two runs out of the inning.

Jim Yeager was stationed on the first base bag when Danny Grass walked up to the plate and hit a double that drove Yeager home. Lutz then drove Grass home on a single.

In the top of the sixth, Reid Forrest struck out his first three batters to get the Tigers back to the plate.

"We pitched real well today," said Johnson. "Forrest pitched really well."

Forrest was walked to get on at first and tagged out at second during Ratigan's at bat that earned him a single.

Sieverkropp earned a single to get on base while Ratigan advanced to third. Bossert was the next to bat and singled but not before Sieverkropp was tagged on his way to second.

Nash came to the plate with two on and two outs. He wore the final pitch on a full count to make it bases loaded for Yeager. Yeager went down swinging and brought Ephrata's defense back out onto the field for one final push.

The Tigers did not disappoint. Lutz was brought in to close and struck out his final two batters to give Ephrata the 5-0 win.

Ratigan pitched four innings, striking out seven batters and walking one. Forrest pitched two innings and struck out five batters and hit 2-for-4 with two singles. Lutz pitched two strike outs in one inning and hit 3-for-4 with a single, a double and an RBI. Chamberlain hit 2-for-4 with a single, a double and two RBIs.