EPHRATA — A rough week on the diamond left the Ephrata Tigers 1-8 on the season after four losses to Selah and Grandview.

A dearth of offense has afflicted the Tigers, who are collectively batting .200 and have scored just 15 runs in nine games while sitting last in the Central Washington Athletic Conference standings.

The goal right now is getting runners on base, said Coach David Tempel.

"We are trying to focus heavily on approach at the plate, and getting the leadoff batter aboard in different ways," Tempel said. "When we can get the leadoff guy aboard, our success in plating runs has been significantly higher (because of) our ability to run the bases and move runners up."

The Tigers swiped seven bags over the last three games — proof, said Tempel, of his players' ability to apply pressure when on the basepaths.

March 24 at Selah, 12-2 (L)

Last Tuesday, Ephrata jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning after a balk by Selah pitcher Braxton Young scored Elijah Davis and Andrew Rowlands' steal of home.

But Selah answered with three runs in the bottom half of the frame and never looked back. The Vikings added runs in the third, fourth and sixth to pull away.

In addition to his scoring steal, Rowlands produced a base hit while the Tigers also got singles from Cooper Vasquez and Charles Poirrier.

Poirrier took the pitching loss for the Tigers, giving up four runs in 2-⅓ innings. Landen Stephens and Clayton Wolther combined to allow eight more in relief.

Young struck out six in five innings of work for Selah.

March 27 vs. Grandview, Game 1, 5-1 (L)

Cubie Castro stole home in the first inning to put Grandview ahead in the morning game, and the Greyhounds never trailed. Jojo Mora was the winning pitcher for Grandview, going six innings and holding Ephrata to just one run.

Vasquez tossed five innings for the Tigers, allowing four earned runs off four hits while striking out eight. Kai Kaleohano threw the final two innings in relief.

Cale Fronsman finished with two hits and scored Ephrata's lone run in the second, coming home on a Rowlands bunt.

March 27 vs. Grandview, Game 2, 9-2 (L)

Five defensive errors compounded the damage in Ephrata's second-game loss.

The Tigers' two runs came in the sixth inning. Mitchell Johnson doubled and came home on a triple by Vasquez, Kaleohano added a single to knock Vasquez home.

Grandview's Xathian Castro secured the win throwing for six innings and held Ephrata to four hits. The guest Greyhounds scored over four innings: two in the first, two in the third, four in the sixth and one in the seventh.

Fronsman took the pitching loss, allowing four runs in three innings.

March 31 vs. Selah, 16-1 (L)

Things fell apart quickly for Ephrata in this Tuesday's rematch with Selah.

The Vikings brought six runners home in the first inning, aided by two Tiger fielding errors and a Braxton Young triple. The Vikings added four more runs in the third and six in the fourth to seal the win.

Selah starter Jack Kennedy threw three scoreless innings to open the game while Cooper Vasquez absorbed the loss, giving up 10 runs in three innings. Landen Stephens was solid in relief, allowing just one hit and striking out two in 1-2/3 innings.

Mitchell Johnson's RBI single in the fifth scored Charles Poirrier, who bunted his way on, to score Ephrata's only run.

Tempel highlighted Johnson and Kai Kaleohano as two players building momentum.

Johnson has batted 5-for-10 over the last three games, including two doubles, and Tempel praised his work behind the plate as much as his offensive production.

"As a catcher, he does a great job handling our pitching staff, and working hard behind the plate to keep pitches in front of him," Tempel said. "His bat is beginning to heat up."

Kaleohano has also hit safely in the last three games and has been productive on two-strike counts, an area of emphasis for the whole Ephrata lineup.

"We are beginning to put the ball in play more, especially with two strikes, which is a step in the right direction for our offense," said Tempel. "And some of those contacts will begin to turn into better barrels and extra-base hits as the season progresses."

Ephrata faces a road stretch over the upcoming spring break week, traveling to Toppenish for a doubleheader this Saturday at 11 a.m. before heading to East Valley in Yakima on Tuesday, April 7 at 3:30 p.m.