Ephrata baseball brings down favored Bulldogs

EPHRATA — Youth was served to the tune of a four-run fifth inning for the Ephrata Tigers’ baseball team.

The Tigers used that inning to pull off an eye-opening 5-4 upset win over Central Washington Athletic Conference (CWAC) leaders Ellensburg on Tuesday.

Leading 1-0 in their half of the fourth inning, the Tigers (3-7, 3-5) began their game-winning rally when Grant Kahlstrom reached first base on a Bulldogs’ error.

Bryce Todd then singled and Marco Solis bunted his way on to base, loaded the bags with no outs.

Then came Clayton Brock and he delivered with a bases-clearing double and eventually was brought home on another Ellensburg error as the Tigers now led 5-0.

“The guys came up and executed really well,” Ephrata coach Jason Laugen said.  “We got the leadoff runner on it was their third time through the order and they started getting to the pitcher. He wasn’t throwing his breaking ball really well so we were looking for fastballs. Clayton really hit that ball well and into the gap.”

Ellensburg wouldn’t go down quietly though, scoring three runs in the top of the sixth off of Ephrata starter Tanner Williams.

“Tanner pitched really well and I was very pleased,” Laugen said. “He started getting tired in the sixth and into the seventh. He stayed composed and struck out a lot of guys. It was his best performance of the year so far. He had his curveball working real well. Seven of his strikeouts were looking.”

The Tigers’ starter recorded nine strikeouts while walking two and giving up four hits.

Williams struck out the first Ellensburg batter in the seventh but then followed that up with a walk so Laugen put in Todd to finish.

The Tigers’ reliever then walked his first batter and was forced into a pick off-throw error, leaving runners at the corners with one out.

A Bulldogs’ sacrifice fly made the score 5-4, but Todd honed in and registered the game-clinching strike out against the next batter.

“It’s a real big win and a big confidence booster,” Laugen said.  “Coming up against Ellensburg who is a league favorite and getting this win was excellent for this young team.”

Solis finished 3-for-4 with one RBI, Brock went 2-for-4, with his double and three RBI, and Todd completed his day going 2-for-4 with a double.

Eastmont 12, Moses Lake 2

EAST WENATCHEE — Hope did not break through for the Moses Lake Chiefs baseball team following their spring vacation time last week.

Believing their respite from school and some time away from the diamond would rejuvenate his squad, Chiefs coach Ed McNamara was surprised by last night’s 12-2 defeat at Eastmont.

The five-inning loss was punctuated by poor hitting and fielding which helped push Eastmont to an early 7-0 lead after three innings.

“I wish I knew what happened,” McNamara said. “I think we have to get in the game mentally. We have stuff going on where we are not expecting plays or not making plays. The guys need to get confidence in themselves because the kids have some talent.”

Even when Moses Lake (1-8) got on the board with their two runs in the fourth, it came via one hit and two Eastmont errors.

Mitch Yada led off the inning with a single and advanced to third when Dylan Signorelli got on due to a throwing error.

With both Chiefs on second and third base, Moses Lake’s Matt Noyola bunted and was able to stay on base when he too was aided by an Eastmont fielding gaffe which brought home Yada and Signorelli.

However, the Chiefs couldn’t keep their momentum as Eastmont responded with five runs in the bottom of that same inning to put the game away.

Yada started on the mound for Moses Lake and made it through two-and-one-third innings.

“Actually he didn’t do to bad,” McNamara said. “He threw only one bad pitch and that was a two-run homerun but he came out only because it was a non-league game and I wanted to get my pitchers in. Our defense wasn’t helping our pitchers and we were getting some ground balls.”

Moses Lake recorded only two hits in the contest.

Othello 14, East Valley 4

OTHELLO — How grand it was.

The Othello Huskies took a bit to get warmed up but when they did it was all over for visiting East Valley, who fell 14-4 in five innings.

Othello (8-2, 6-2), trailed 4-1 going into the bottom of the fourth inning when starting pitcher Chris Brunetti aided his own cause with a grand slam.

The six-run frame gave the Huskies a 7-4 lead and the rout was on.

“It took us awhile to get going since their pitcher was doing a good job of changing things up on us,” Othello coach Larry Gonzales said. “We were hitting the ball but we were hitting it right at them. I talked to the team about being patient and not chasing anything and they did a good job making the adjustments.”

Othello finished with 12 hits and scored seven-runs in their half of the fifth to win by mercy rule.

Brunetti pitched a complete game allowing four hits, two earned runs, and four walks, while striking out five.

Helping the Othello offense was Shon Valdez who finished 2-for-3 two doubles and one RBI, Connor Hamilton and his 2-for-4 with two doubles and two RBI performance, the hitting of Derek Lopez as he went 2-for-2 and scored two runs and CJ Garza’s 2-for-4 outing with an RBI.

Quincy 21, Toppenish 8

TOPPENISH — Call it a comeback of epic proportions.

Quincy, trailing 8-6 going into the top of the seventh inning, the Jacks decided to make a final move for a win and did so to the tune of a 15-run frame to defeat Toppenish 21-8 in CWAC action.

Quincy tied the game on a Daniel Padrone double and the avalanche of Jacks offense wouldn’t stop until 13 more run crossed the plate.

Padrone finished with five RBIs during a 2-for-4 day that also included a triple.

Brett Peterson went 3-for-4 with three RBI and two stolen bases, while Chad Almon went 3-for-4 with three RBIs to aid the Quincy cause.