Tigers tie with Chelan Sox after late night doubleheader

EPHRATA — The Ephrata Tiger Baseball Club (9-2-1) completed a late doubleheader against the Chelan Sox on Monday night after falling in the first game 5-6 and tying the second game 6-6. Tigers Head Coach David Tempel said it was a highly competitive night of baseball. 

“There were all kinds of plays in each of them that could have tilted the outcome either way for both teams,” said Tempel. “Sometimes I think you learn more in those close games than you do in a big blowout or something, so I was very pleased with that piece of it.” 

Game one started out with Chelan scoring two runs in the top of the first inning, which was then followed by a run for Ephrata after Cale Fronsman popped out to left field to score Andrew Rowlands. After two scoreless innings, both teams earned one run each in the fourth inning. 

The Tigers claimed the lead in the bottom of the fifth after Elijah St. Mary doubled to center field to score Dayne Holland and Rowlands singled down left field to score St. Mary. The Sox reclaimed the lead in the top of the sixth after an error and a single scored three runs. 

Ephrata worked to rally in the bottom of the seventh, where they scored one run from Rowlands, but were unable to close the gap fully and the game ended in a 5-6 loss. 

“It took us a little bit to get going in that first game, but at the same time we battled we competed,” said Tempel.  

Fronsman started on the mound for the Tigers where he pitched six innings and threw seven strikeouts. 

“He had his best outing,” said Tempel. “He was efficient, he pitched a contact, it was great to see that from him.” 

Going into game two, the Tigers came back and got on the board in the bottom of the first with a double by Mitchell Johnson scoring Rowlands. Ephrata added a run in the bottom of the third after Rowland scored on a passed ball to put the game at 2-0. 

Chelan found momentum in the fifth inning to claim the lead after scoring four runs. Ephrata responded in the bottom of the inning with Rowlands scoring on an error to put the game at 3-4. 

“We had the lead there and a couple miscues led to some runs for (Chelan) in the fifth,” said Tempel. 

The Sox extended their lead over the next two innings, scoring one in the sixth and one in the seventh. The Tigers snapped back in the seventh as Fronsman hit a double to score Caleb Froewiss getting the team within one and then with runners on first and third, Tempel said Uribe hit a shot through the fore hole to score Fronsman and tie the game up. 

“Really cool learning moment being in that pressure situation for those guys to execute there at the end,” said the coach. 

As the game continued into extra innings, both teams had opportunities to plate runs but were halted on each play. By the time the ninth inning ended, it was 11:45 p.m., and the teams voted to call the game at a draw. 

“Both teams kind of mutually said, ‘That was a great game and let's chalk it up as a tie and get people home,’” he said.  

Isaiah Davis started on the mound for the Tigers where he threw eight strikeouts over four innings. Collin Sullivan followed up for two innings and threw three strikeouts, and Uribe closed out the game throwing two strikeouts. 

Tempel said overall the pitching was once again a key highlight for the Tigers against a tough Chelan squad. Game two especially was where the coach felt their pitching kept their game alive. 

Another highlight from the doubleheader was the hitting abilities of Ephrata players. In game one, the team had eight hits and in game two tallied nine hits. 

“Just proud of the way the guys fought and were resilient,” Tempel said. “We’ve got to clean up the defensive miscues and the freebies, but we pounded out the hits yesterday.” 

The Tiger Baseball Club remains at home for the next doubleheader against Naches Valley on Wednesday with the first game starting at 5 p.m. 

BOX SCORES 

GAME ONE:  

CHLN: 2-0-0-1-0-3-0: 6 

EPHT: 1-0-0-1-2-0-1: 5 

GAME TWO: 

CHLN: 0-0-0-0-4-1-1-0-0: 6 

EPHT: 1-0-1-0-1-0-3-0-0: 6 

    Tigers player Jaxson Uribe gets ready on the mound to begin pitching earlier in the summer season.
  

    Mayson Stredwick from the Tigers prepares to swing at a pitch in a prior home matchup.
  

    Ephrata’s Mitchell Johnson connects a hit and sprints toward first base earlier this summer.