IOWA FALLS, IOWA -- Bouncing back from a one-run loss in the opener of a weekend four-game series, the Ellsworth baseball team used a solid performance to take the next three games from the Lakers on ECC's home diamond. Iowa Lakes broke a 5-5 tie with three runs in the top of the 7th to win game one on Friday, 8-7. The Panthers captured the second game 6-1 and followed it up with a sweep on Saturday, gaining 6-3 and 11-3 decisions.
ECC scored twice in the bottom of the 7th inning in the first game Friday, but their rally came up one run short. Ellsworth had tied the game at 5-all with a three-run 5th. Trey Morris was the ECC hitting star, going 4-for-4. TR Truso, Victor Lara, Carlos Aranda, Jake Kostenbauer, Zeb Wede and Jacoby Endreas had the other hits, with Endreas's contribution a two-run homer. Wede also knocked in two runs. Bryce Hall drew four walks, one of them with the bases loaded. Zach Carlsen got the start for Ellsworth and threw 5 1/3 innings, striking out eight. Elio Narvaez went 1 2/3 innings in relief and took the loss.
The nightcap Friday saw the Panthers break an eight-game slide thanks to a four-run 1st and single runs in the 3rd and 6th innings. Morris's big day continued with a single and a double in five at-bats. Truso and Kainoa Torres both had two hits, Aranda scored twice and stole a pair of bases, and Morris, Lara and Truso had an RBI each. The big blow was Ybrahim Quevedo's three-run home run in the 1st inning. Gavin Busby picked up his first win of the spring with six strong innings, allowing only four hits and fanning seven. Jason Moist followed with two scoreless frames and Cooper Johnson one. Moist whiffed four in his two innings.
The third game of the series saw ECC jump out to an early 6-0 lead with runs in the 1st and 3rd innings and four more in the 4th. Iowa Lakes cut the deficit in half with a three-run 5th, but the Panthers' Isaac Rohde and Johnson closed out the victory, each throwing a shutout inning out of the bullpen. Rohde struck out two and Johnson fanned all three hitters he faced for the save. Charlie Jaeger notched his initial win of the year, going five innings and allowing five hits with seven Ks. Quevedo homered for the second straight game, this one a two-run blow, and Morris, Aranda and Torres drove in the other runs. Hall and Torres had two-hit games and Torres scored two times.
Endreas and Torres both homered in the finale and the Panthers scored at least one run in five different innings to take the series. Lara had a pair of hits, Morris scored three runs and Aranda two, and the Panthers drew 11 walks, three by Morris and Truso and two for Lara, Fabian Dumey and Hall. ECC used Miguel Baez as their starter with Matt Nolan coming in in relief. Nolan was credited with the win. The two combined to permit only six hits and all three ILCC runs were unearned. Baez had six punchouts and Nolan three.
The Panthers will take an 11-13 record to Norfolk, Neb., Wednesday for an ICCAC doubleheader against Northeast CC. They'll be at Iowa Central CC for twinbills this Friday and Saturday.