Two Tigers make baseball all conference
CALEB PEREZ | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 3 weeks, 5 days AGO
Tigers sophomore Cooper Vasquez hurls a pitch during a previous home game this season. Vasquez was named as an honorable mention in this year’s All-Conference team.
MIKE MAYNARD/COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD
Ephrata Head Coach David Tempel, left, talks to sophomore Mitchell Johnson, left, on third base in a game this season. Johnson was given second-team honors for the 2026 All-Conference team.
EPHRATA — The 2026 Central Washington Athletic Conference Baseball All-Conference team was announced Monday and two Ephrata Tigers made the listing. Mitchell Johnson, a sophomore, earned second-team honors, and Cooper Vasquez, a sophomore, made the honorable mention list.
“Any time you get players recognized by the other coaches in your league, that speaks really highly of them, not only as players, but as members of your program and what you’re trying to build,” said Tigers Head Coach David Tempel. “Really proud of those two guys and the efforts that they’ve done in the offseason and throughout this season.”
Vasquez had just come off an injury sustained during the football season and worked hard to get ready to return for the start of the baseball season. The sophomore returned to have a stellar season on the pitching staff, and Tempel said he was proud of how Vasquez handled his business on the plate every day.
The coach said Vasquez had many dominant pitching outings in both league and nonleague games throughout the season as he would strike out over 10 batters against some of the top teams in the league.
Looking back on the season, Tempel said Vasquez had strong pitching against Quincy on senior night where he threw 12 strikeouts and pitched a solid game against a state contender in Othello, where the sophomore threw four strikeouts and allowed just five hits and two runs over the six innings he was on the mound.
“(Vasquez) really started to pour it on towards the second half of the season,” he said.
Johnson acted as a consistent hitter at the plate and was at the top of the batting order for Ephrata throughout the season. Tempel said Johnson showed great discipline at bat throughout the season and has been a standout for the team since his freshman season, when he came up to swing in varsity games.
Despite starting off the season in a bit of a slump, Johnson found his rhythm in the middle of the season as he began to draw walks and hit with runners in scoring position. As the season went on, the coach said Johnson solidified his abilities in that leadoff position.
“He holds his own and is very steady at the plate,” said Tempel.
With Johnson and Vasquez both earning the honors, the coach said they act as a great example for the players in the program that hard work in both the regular season and offseason pay off.
As their sophomore season concludes, the two only have even more room for growth as they head into their junior and senior seasons. Tempel said both Vasquez and Johnson’s work from this season will help them as they develop into stronger players throughout their careers.
“Hats off to them for the work that they put in both in season and out,” said the coach. “Both of these guys love baseball, both of these guys are motivated and driven individuals, both were team captains for us this year, and you could definitely see them lead by example throughout the year.”
Ephrata Head Coach David Tempel, left, talks to sophomore Mitchell Johnson, left, on third base in a game this season. Johnson was given second-team honors for the 2026 All-Conference team.ARTICLES BY CALEB PEREZ
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