Focusing on fundamentals, Ephrata baseballers ranked third in 2A
Ephrata High School senior Ethan Gustafson (17) gives a high five to senior Tyson Laugen (2) as he comes in from home base to the dugout. The Tigers are doing well this season according to coach Jason Laugen, who added that the team is focused on game fundamentals.
REBECCA PETTINGILL/COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD
Ephrata High School senior Winston Roberts (9) pitches during the non-league matchup against West Valley (Spokane) on April 14. Ephrata won the game 5-2 in part due to Gustafson's performance on the pitcher's mound.
Ephrata High School senior Beau DeChenne (7) leads off from second base on April 14 in the matchup against West Valley (Spokane). DeChenne is one of the captains for the Tigers and plays center field for the team.
EPHRATA — The Ephrata High School baseball team, ranked No. 3 in the 2A classification, took three wins in their matches against West Valley (Spokane) and Grandview over the weekend.
The Tigers took on West Valley on April 14 and won 5-2.
“It was a good outcome. I'm happy with what the boys did coming back off of a three-game skid and getting back on the winning ways,” said Ephrata head coach Jason Laugen after the game against West Valley.
Laugen said he knew the West Valley game was going to be a good matchup since West Valley is ranked No. 5 in the 2A classification and the number one team in their Spokane-area league.
He noted that his team had a great start to the season, being 9-0 until the week prior when they had three consecutive losses. One to William F. West High School and the other two to Selah High School. Those teams have been ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the 2A classification by the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association Rating Percentage Index.
On April 16, Ephrata beat Grandview twice in a doubleheader, 5-4 and 12-0.
Laugen said his team has 12 seniors this season and each of them has their own attribute that makes them a leader. He made special note of senior Brock Hussey who stepped up to take the role of first baseman despite having most of his experience on third plate.
Ephrata has four captains and Laugen said each one has a strength and a weakness that the others fill in for.
The captains are Ethan Black as catcher, Winston Roberts as pitcher, Tyson Laugen as shortstop and Beau DeChenne covering center field.
After the games against Grandview and West Valley, the Tigers are 12-3 overall and 6-2 in their conference.
Despite getting back on their winning streak, Laugen said his eyes are only on the next game in front of them.
“The offense has been slow to get started at the beginning of the season, but it's not where we're at right now, It's where we're at at the end of the season. We don't want to peak yet. We want to just slowly build. I use the analogy of climbing a building, you know, getting to the next floor. And so that's where we're at right now and as long as we continue to grow and get better and improve, week to week then we will be fine. Hopefully peak once the playoffs come and really have everything going,” Laugen said.
Laugen said he really focuses on his team having the mechanics and fundamentals of the game down solidly. It’s all about the fundamentals, he said.
“We want to be a fundamentally sound team. Yeah, because the more fundamentally sound you are, the less mistakes you're gonna make,” Laugen said.
While having a destination in mind, Laugen said they just want to enjoy the journey.
“These boys, they only have…seven games left of their senior year and then the playoffs begin. So we think of this as the preseason, playoffs are the real season. And so we want, like I said before, we want them to grow and peak at the right time,” Laugen said.
Rebecca Pettingill can be reached at rpettingill@columbiabasinherald.com.
