Tigers baseball profits from pitching

QUINCY — The Ephrata Tigers baseball got a pair of strong pitching performances from Tyler Lesko and Travis Ruffin to defeat the Quincy Jacks 7-3 and 11-1 Saturday.

Tyler Lesko pitched the first game for Ephrata, allowing just two earned runs over seven innings while striking out eight Quincy batters.

The Tigers' offense gave Lesko a narrow 1-0 lead in the third inning, which the Ephrata starter protected until late in the game. Ephrata scored two runs in the fifth inning and four more in the sixth to take a commanding 7-0 lead.

The Jacks rallied for three runs in the bottom of the sixth, but couldn't get any more as Lesko went the distance for the complete-game victory.

Offensively in the first game, Ephrata was led by Derrick Webb. Webb went 2 for 3 with a home run, three RBIs and two runs scored. Brett Bazaldua was 2 for 4 for the Tigers with three RBIs, and Eric Tinnell went 1 for 3 with a double, two RBIs and a run scored.

For the Jacks, Craig Petersen went 1 for 3 with a double, two RBIs and a run scored. Kelly Wells pitched four innings, allowing just one run while recording four strikeouts.

Ephrata's offense got going much sooner in the second game, scoring four runs in the second inning and two more in the third for a quick 6-0 lead. Quincy answered back with a run in the bottom of the third, but Ephrata scored five more runs over the next three innings to put the game away.

On the mound, Ruffin pitched all six innings, allowing only four hits and striking out five Jacks' hitters.

Webb was the offensive star of game two as well, going 2 for 4 with a solo-home run and two RBIs. Tinnell was 3 for 4 with four RBIs a double and a run scored, and Lesko went 4 for 4 with a double three runs scored and two RBIs.

With the wins, Ephrata improved to 9-4 on the season and 8-4 in CWAC play.