Tigers and Diamond Ducks prepare for end of season tourney

EPHRATA — The Tillage League is heading into postseason play this weekend in Ephrata with the first games starting Thursday morning. The Tigers Baseball Club and the Almira/Coulee-Hartline Diamond Ducks both qualified for the tournament and are putting in preparations for the competition ahead. 

The tournament is set to be held Thursday through Sunday with four games slated for the first three days and up to three games Sunday for the championships. Gate fee into the tournament is $5 for a full day pass and will act as a fundraiser for the summer baseball program.

Tigers Baseball Club 

The Tigers are entering into the tournament with a record of 13-8-1 with a strong start to their season. Despite falling in their last few matchups against the Kittitas County Cowboys and Cashmere Bulldogs, the team is looking to bounce back and make a deep run in the postseason. 

“We were in some close games which I think is always a beneficial thing to be in, especially leading up to a tournament, to be put in those pressure situations,” said Tigers Head Coach David Tempel. “I know we didn’t come out on the right side of the last couple of games, but I think those experiences have been valuable for our guys leading up to this weekend.” 

A key takeaway from those last few matchups for the Tigers is to focus on every pitch and compete to their standard of play without letting results dictate their feelings or body language. Tempel said he feels the team has been making great strides on that mental side of the game this summer. 

What’s going to be important for Ephrata as they begin postseason play Thursday is to take what the game gives them and treat every pitch as a new opportunity for success, he said. 

“When you get in these tournament situations, there’s likely times where you’re going to see something that you haven’t prepared for or haven’t seen very often,” said Tempel. “Just being able to weather that storm, I think, is important for guys in these games that are maybe a little bit more meaningful than just your standard summer games.” 

After their practice Tuesday evening, the coach said he feels confident in the Tigers’ abilities to be successful this weekend. 

“They’ve been working all summer and now this is kind of the payoff making this tournament and showcasing what we’ve been working on,” said Tempel. “Excited to kind of put that on display against some pretty good competition throughout our league.” 

The Tigers begin postseason in the Tillage League at 1 p.m. against Monarch Baseball Club. 

Diamond Ducks 

The Diamond Ducks are entering the postseason tourney with a 10-6 record. Leading into the weekend competition, the Diamond Ducks have gained momentum with wins over league opponents to earn a spot on the bracket. 

“They’ve been great,” said Diamond Ducks Head Coach Hunter Lee. “We won a few games down the stretch and were able to find our way into playoffs, which is great just to get a few more games in this summer and we’re pretty happy about it.” 

ACH had a slow start to the summer season as they started off 3-5 against their league opponents. The coach said after a week-long break from games, the Diamond Ducks climbed back to go 7-1 in the final half of the season. 

“A lot of our guys are swinging it really well and our pitching’s been good,” said Lee. “I’d just say after that little break we head, we’ve been playing really well.” 

He said the whole team is excited to have qualified for the postseason because it is another opportunity to play more baseball. With 16 games already under their belt, playoff games could add another four, giving a total of 20 games played. 

This essentially gives the players another full baseball season to participate in as the regular spring season typically has 20 games, Lee said. 

“That’s just huge for our program and the kids’ development as baseball players because they’re getting twice as much baseball in as they would if we just had a spring season,” said the coach. “That’s what I’m most excited about and then the opportunity to be in a playoff tournament type format.” 

There is a lot of excitement for the learning experience that this tournament will bring, along with excitement to see what ACH can accomplish in the postseason, he said.  

“(The Diamond Ducks players) have been asking about playoffs for the last two weeks now,” said Lee. “They’ve been looking forward to it and to be able to have it down in Ephrata which is really close to us and then play at a really cool facility, they’re excited.” 

The Diamond Ducks begin their playoff push Thursday at 10 a.m. against the Milton Freewater Twins.

    Nolan Grindy from ACH throws the ball back toward the diamond while staying vigilant at second base during a game in Ephrata this season.
  

    Mitchell Johnson from Ephrata looks on as he stands ready on third base at a home game earlier this season.
  

    Diamond Ducks player Ethan Martinez steps up to bat during a previous game this season in Ephrata.