Ephrata moves into second

EPHRATA — After battling with Ellensburg for seven innings Tuesday afternoon, Ephrata claimed sole possession of second place in the Central Washington Athletic Conference baseball standings with a 10-9 victory.

Ephrata found themselves in an early hole when Ellensburg took a 1-0 lead on the third pitch of the game when Tigers pitcher Tyson Hubbard surrendered a lead-off home run.

The Bulldogs managed to jump on the Tigers 4-0 early before Ephrata found an opportunity to respond in the second inning.

Ephrata head coach Jason Laugen said Tuesday’s conference contest with Ellensburg was a struggle.

“It was back and forth is what it was,” he said. “They came out and hit the ball well and took a four-run lead.”

Ephrata answered in the bottom of the second inning with a pair of runs to pull within 4-2 of Ellensburg. The Tigers scored once in the third and once in the fourth but the Bulldogs still held a 6-4 lead in the top of the fifth.

Ephrata exploded onto the scoreboard in the bottom of the fifth for five runs, turning a 6-4 deficit into a 9-6 advantage.

While the Tigers managed to pull ahead late in the contest, Laugen said his team struggled at times.

“Mistakes were made,” he said. “We were a little timid at times but we fought back. We keep continuing to fight.”

Ellensburg pulled even at 9-9 in the top of the sixth inning before the Tigers took a 10-9 lead in the bottom of the sixth before pitcher Mason Lotz closed the game out for the Tigers.

“Mason showed a competitive attitude,” Laugen said. “He really stepped up on the mound. He showed me something today that I haven’t seen from him.”

Lotz closed out the Bulldogs in the top of the seventh and Ephrata moved into sole possession of second place with a 12-4 conference record.

The Tigers entered Tuesday’s contest in a three-way tie for second place with the Othello Huskies and Ellensburg. The Tigers knocked off Ellensburg and Othello’s home game with East Valley was rescheduled for today because of rain.