Ephrata 13-year-olds runners-up at regionals

MERIDIAN, Idaho — The Ephrata 13-year-olds fell one win shy of advancing to the Babe Ruth World Series.

Ephrata ended pool play with a loss to West Linn (Northern Oregon) 9-7, but a 3-1 record allowed the Tigers to advance.

Ephrata routed Woodland (Southern Washington) 10-0 in the semifinals and lost to Belgrade (Montana) 14-4 in the championship game.

Ephrata led West Linn 7-3 after three innings.

However, West Linn was able to score six unanswered runs to pull ahead.

Ethan Black had two hits and two RBI.

Tyson Laugen and Gavin Burns had one RBI each.

In the semifinals, Burns pitched a four-hit shutout. Burns relied on his defense, striking out just two batters. Ephrata’s defense committed no errors.

Ephrata led 3-0 after two innings and broke the game open with a seven-run third inning. Winston Roberts and Black had two hits and two RBI each.

Kelson Gebbers started the third-inning rally with a RBI single.

The Tigers scored their next six runs with two outs. Black and Roberts hit two-run singles.

Belgrade scored four runs in the first inning and never trailed during the championship game.

The Tigers committed seven errors and only managed four runs on nine hits.

Gebbers, Burns and Black drove in one run each. Beau DeChenne was 3-for-3 with two runs scored.

Belgrade pulled ahead by 11 runs after scoring seven in the fifth inning.

—Staff report

Ephrata vs. West Linn

13BB — 3 2 2 0 0 0 0 7

WSTL — 2 0 1 2 1 3 9

Highlights: Burns 2x3, 2 R, 1 RBI; Black 2x3, 1 R, 2 RBI

Ephrata vs. Woodland

13BB — 1 2 7 0 0 10

WDLN — 0 0 0 0 0 0

Highlights: Roberts 2x3, 1 R, 2 RBI; Black 2x3, 2 R, 2 RBI; Burns 5 IP, 2 K

Ephrata vs. Belgrade

BLGR — 4 2 1 0 7 14

13BB — 1 0 0 2 1 4

Highlights: DeChenne 3x3, 2 R; Burns 2x3, 1 R, 1 RBI