Watch: Walk-off lifts Ephrata over Fife in 2A Washington high school baseball playoffs
CHEHALIS, Wash. — By the time Garet Hagy stepped into the batter's box in the bottom of the seventh inning, his teammates had already set him up to deliver.
With the bases loaded and a 2-2 count, Hagy thumped a walk-off single into left-center, driving home junior catcher Francisco Anaya Hernandez to secure Ephrata's 1-0 win over Fife in the Class 2A regional round baseball opener on Saturday at W.F. West High School.
"Perfect situation for me to pull something up, pull something off," Hagy said.
Fife's season ends at 14-8.
The lone run of the game was one of just six hits given up in a complete game start by Fife senior pitcher Spencer Willhite, who did not give up an earned run.
Three of those hits came from senior catcher Ethan Black, who finished 3-for-3 at-bat with a double, the game's lone extra base hit.
The experienced Tigers (20-5) advance to another win-or-go-home regional playoff Saturday afternoon against Tumwater for a spot in next week's final four in Yakima.
To reach the regional round, Ephrata won three consecutive loser-out games in the 2A District 5/6 tournament, beating East Valley (10-0), Othello (6-1) and regular season league champion Selah (3-2) and made a name for itself with its pitching.
According to Laugen, 10 of the team's 13 seniors have played together for most of their lives.
"This is a tight-knit group and they just believe in each other," Ephrata coach Jason Laugen said.
That reputation held on Saturday. Senior Winston Roberts struck out eight and allowed no runs, a hit and four walks in a five-inning start. Sophomore Cody Black threw a hitless relief inning to close, setting up the bottom of the seventh.
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"Top of the order had been coming through pretty well for us," Laugen said. "Told the guys to get up on the dish (plate), force him to throw strikes and if they threw down there, don't miss."
Black, the lead-off hitter, was hit by a pitch on the first at-bat. Roberts was thrown out on a sacrifice bunt that advanced Anaya Hernandez, Black's pinch runner, to second.
Two defensive errors on the next two at-bats loaded the bases. First, senior Seth Chamberlain reached first safely after an error on the throw to beat him. Then, Fife had another error on a grounder to the short stop to load the bases, setting up Hagy's walk-off.
After he swung through a made contat, Hagy's eyes followed the ball.
"I knew it was far enough, so I jumped and was looking into the dugout," Hagy said, "and coach (David) Tempel was making sure I touched the base. It was pretty exciting."
Scroll to the top of the post to see Hagy's walk-off single and a postgame video interview.
