Three games into the season, the Lady Tigers have faced a pair of 4A opponents — the Eastmont Wildcats and Wenatchee Panthers — and have been outscored by a hefty margin.

But EHS head coach Lesa Trevino isn't dismayed, or flinching.

"Playing a program like Eastmont early in the season is a great test for us," she said. "It shows the girls the level we are working toward."

Eastmont, which qualified for the Class 4A state tournament last season, swept the visiting Tigers in a March 12 doubleheader by scores of 19-3 and 18-0. The Wildcats pounded out big innings in both games, spurred by a lineup that produced contact all afternoon. That was evident in game two, when Eastmont posted 10 runs in the first inning and never looked back.

But there were notable firsts for Ephrata, notwithstanding Trevino's debut as the new head coach of a program that graduated several veteran starters last year. Bayleigh French made her first varsity start in the circle in game one, Sidney Chornuk got her first pitching start in game two and also recorded her first slap hit, and Hannah Hull produced her first varsity base hit. Ephrata scored three in the fifth inning of game one to avoid the doubleheader shutout.

Defensively, Trevino pointed to Ella Piturachsatit as a bright spot for handling hard shots at third base in both Eastmont games, and improvement with Dakota Durfee moving to shortstop and Bailey Falconer to center, allowing Ellie Kono to move behind the plate.

"I was really proud of how they kept their composure the entire time and never showed frustration," Trevino said. "Because that is not easy against a lineup like (Eastmont)."

The learning curve continued yesterday (Tuesday, March 17), when Wenatchee came to town and rolled to a 16-0 shutout in five innings. The visiting Panthers scored nine runs in the first inning and their pitching stymied Ephrata's batters — Camila Martinez's first-inning single was the lone Tiger hit.

"Everything we need to clean up — communication and routine plays — is something we can improve with reps and practice," Trevino said afterward. "I already see the girls starting to mesh well together, and I am excited to see how we continue to develop."