Ephrata rolls past Mark Morris

EPHRATA — With strong winds blowing and temperatures dropping at Ephrata’s Johnson-O’Brien Stadium Tuesday night, the Tigers rose to the occasion to knock of Mark Morris of Longview in their non-conference baseball match up.

The Tigers rode the strong pitching of starter Brett Robinson and reliever Tyson Hubbard to soar past the Monarchs 11-2 to improve to 7-0 overall this season. Ephrata is 5-0 in Central Washington Athletic Conference play.

With the Tigers off to an undefeated start to the season, Ephrata head coach Jason Laugen said his team’s performance is surprising.

“Actually, it’s been unexpected,” he said of his team’s start. “They have grasped what we have been trying to teach them.”

Robinson started the game for the Tigers and after a strong first inning, he kept the Monarchs off of the scoreboard.

Ephrata jumped on Mark Morris early with a run in the first inning to take a 1-0 lead.

After the Tigers gave Robinson an early advantage, Robinson shut down the Monarchs in the top of the second, retiring all three batters in order.

“(Robinson) pitched real well again,” Laugen said. “He picked up right were he left off against Othello.”

With the Tigers claiming a 1-0 lead in the first, Mark Morris settled down to keep the Tigers off of the scoreboard in the second and third innings.

Following another solid performance from Robinson in the top of the fourth, Ephrata came to bat in the bottom of the inning.

Before the Tigers batting order made their way to the plate, Laugen addressed his team.

“(I told them) to get after it,” he said with a laugh.

And get after it they did.

Ephrata exploded onto the scoreboard transforming a 1-0 lead into a 7-0 advantage before Mark Morris was able to retire the side.

The Tigers got off to a fast start in the inning, scoring three runs before Mark Morris recorded an out. 

With the Tigers holding a 4-0 advantage, Robinson came to the plate for Ephrata. With a runner on second, the left handed Robinson gave himself some breathing room on the mound, Laugen said.

“He helped himself out at the plate,” he said. “He just came through when we needed him.”

With one runner on, Robinson connected on a Mark Morris pitch. Robinson sent the ball high into the March sky and over the left field fence for a 6-0 lead.

“Brett had an overall great game,” Laugen said. “He went 3-for-3. I wish he would have come up more with runners on base.”

Following Robinson’s two-run shot to left field, Ephrata senior shortstop Eric Tinnell singled, stole second and took third on a passed ball. Tinnell’s movement on the base path set the plate for Hubbard. Hubbard got a hold of a Mark Morris fastball, sending the pitch deep into the outfield for a sacrifice fly and a 7-0 lead.

“Tyson came up with a runner on third and hit a sac-fly,” Laugen said. “He did what he is supposed to do.”

After building a 7-0 lead after four innings, Ephrata struggled briefly in the top of the fifth. Robinson walked the bases load before he and Hubbard surrendered a pair of runs.

Although Mark Morris found their way onto the scoreboard in the fifth, Hubbard and the Tigers pushed their advantage to nine runs over the final innings to earn the 11-2 victory.