OVERLAND PARK, KANSAS -- A 15-hit, 11-run outburst allowed the Ellsworth baseball team to capture the final game of a four-game weekend series with Johnson County CC. The Panthers' offense was kept in check in Saturday's twinbill, Johnson County winning a pair of 5-inning contests, 14-2 and 11-1. JCCC used a 5-run 6th inning to break a 5-all tie in a 10-5 triumph in the first game on Sunday. But ECC got the bats going in the nightcap and departed Kansas with an 11-7 victory.
There were hitting stars up and down the lineup for the Panthers in their win. Javier Melendez was one of those stars, going 3-for-5 with 4 RBIs. Elio Narvaez was 2-for-4 with a double and 3 runs scored. Nick Chasey had 2 hits, scored 3 times and knocked in a run. Zeb Wede provided 2 hits and 2 runs. Jalen Aguiniga went 3-for-5, scored once and drove in a run. And Jose Valentin slugged Ellsworth's first home run of the spring. In addition to their 15-hit barrage, the Panthers also drew 7 walks, two each by Bryce Hall and Fabian Dumey. The pitching story was Narvaez. Making his first appearance on the mound, the sophomore left-hander went 6 innings in relief of starter Edwin De Los Santos, allowing 3 earned runs and striking out 6 while walking 2. Narvaez gave the Panthers' pitching staff some much-needed innings and notched the win.
The Panthers faced two very good starting pitchers for Johnson County in Saturday's doubleheader and managed only 4 hits. JCCC used a 6-run 3rd inning and a 7-run 4th to cruise in the opener. Wede doubled home Nick Chasey and Sergio Natera for the only 2 runs for ECC. Narvaez had the Panthers' other 2 hits. Johnson County pounded out 7 doubles and 2 triples against a trio of ECC pitchers -- Gavin Busby, Ethan Whitham and Jonathan Rosado.
Bryce Hall had the Panthers' lone hit in game two. Their run scored when Valentin's sacrifice fly plated Wede. ECC, again, used 3 pitchers -- Miguel Baez, Charlie Jaeger and Cade Armstrong.
Ellsworth got untracked in the first game Sunday. They pushed across 3 runs in the top of 1st and broke a 3-3 tie with 2 runs in the 5th. JCCC first knotted the score in the bottom of the 5th, then used a 5-run 6th to win it, 10-5 Narvaez was 3-for-4 with 2 runs, Valentin and Chasey each had a pair of hits and Melendez had one. Valentin and Melendez had 2 RBIs apiece and Narvaez, Chasey and Melendez all doubled. The Panthers' 3 pitchers were starter Derihan Suero, who worked 5 innings, Jaeger and Jason Moist. Jaeger was tagged with the loss.
ECC, now 3-9, will play a couple of doubleheaders against Metropolitan CC in Kansas City, MO, next Saturday and Sunday.