Ellsworth baseball heating up, won five of last six

By Reagan Hoverman
Posted 5/18/23

The Ellsworth High School baseball team is on the verge of doing something it hasn’t done in half a decade.

Ellsworth, which currently boasts a 9-6 overall record and has won five of its …

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Ellsworth baseball heating up, won five of last six

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The Ellsworth High School baseball team is on the verge of doing something it hasn’t done in half a decade.

Ellsworth, which currently boasts a 9-6 overall record and has won five of its last six contests, is one victory away from double-digit wins. The Panthers haven’t done that since 2018 when they went 14-7 and made a Cinderella run to the state tournament.

The Panthers had won a combined eight games in the last two seasons before 2023. For Ellsworth head coach Brandon Voelker, who is in his second year leading the program, the success is a reflection of the confidence his team built through several crucial victories.

“In the last couple of weeks we beat Elk Mound, who is ranked No. 10, and that was a big non-conference win for us,” Voelker said. “I think that win motivated us. Then we went and beat Somerset twice, and that’s a team that has some good pieces.”

Ellsworth’s 8-2 victory on the road against No. 10-ranked Elk Mound on Friday, April 28, proved to be the start of a pivotal stretch of victories. The Panthers rode the momentum from that non-conference win into their series with Somerset the following week.

Ellsworth defeated Somerset 7-3 at home in the series opener and then completed the sweep two days later with a 10-0 victory. While those were important wins at the time – both in terms of confidence and league standing – they got even better as they aged.

The following week, Somerset knocked off No. 5-ranked Altoona in a 1-0 grudge match. It was the Railroaders’ first loss in Middle Border Conference play and just their third defeat this season.

“That’s a Somerset team that beat Altoona last week,” Voelker said. “That was a big week for us to be excited about after seeing what transpired between them and Altoona the week after.”

Ellsworth added to its momentum with a walk-off win against Osceola on Tuesday, May 9. That extended the Panthers’ heater to four games, their longest such streak since that memorable 2018 season.

Given the success Voelker’s Panthers had against Elk Mound, a tough Somerset team and the first game against Osceola, he thought they’d complete the sweep against the Chieftains that Thursday.

Instead, Osceola snapped Ellsworth’s four-game win spree. The Chieftains jumped out to an early lead that ultimately culminated in the Panthers’ 7-1 defeat. Voelker spoke about the disappointment of not taking that momentum on the road against Osceola.

“I thought we could ride that high a little bit, so that’s why I was a little bit more disappointed on Thursday,” Voelker said. “We talked after the game about how baseball is kind of a crazy game. The reality is that you can’t win them all and that tomorrow is a new day. You just have to flush the bad days and move forward.”

Voelker’s Panthers bounced back the following night with a 15-2 victory at home against Elmwood/Plum City in a five-inning contest. After taking a 1-0 lead in the first inning, the Panthers scored three in the second and then broke the game open in the third frame.

Ellsworth’s white-hot bats put together an eight-run third inning that made the final two frames nothing more than a formality. That contest, played on Friday, May 12, was the sixth time this season the Panthers have scored double-digit runs.

For coach Voelker, the non-conference game against a young Elmwood/Plum City squad was an opportunity to rebuild some of the confidence that disappeared on the road against Osceola the night before.

“We played EPC on Friday and that was a good opportunity to get our mind right,” Voelker said. “It was our chance to get back to how we had been playing. When the bats came alive, man, they came alive in a hurry. We had eight hits in the third inning and that was kind of what I expected.”

The Friday afternoon wasn’t just a bounce-back opportunity, it was also this year’s senior night. Ellsworth honored its four seniors, all of whom started against EPC, and earned a convincing 15-2 win.

Ellsworth’s seniors include Anthony Madsen, Carter Pierce, Kaeden Graff and Tyler Boley. Madsen and Pierce have been staples in the Panthers’ lineup for the last two years and have been two of Ellsworth’s top performers again this season.

“Anthony and Carter are great kids on and off the field,” Voelker said. “Anthony is going to play college baseball at Valley City State and Carter, I can’t say enough about him. He is the most coachable kid I’ve ever had and he’s very respectful. He’s what you want in a student-athlete.”

The aforementioned Graff was expected to be one of Ellsworth’s top pitchers this year, but he’s dealt with arm injuries that have prevented him from seeing action on the mound. However, that hasn’t stopped him from positively impacting the team.

Graff has instead served as one of Ellsworth's best and most reliable outfielders, and his bat is starting to heat up as the weather gets warmer. Voelker spoke about Graff’s senior campaign.

“He has dealt with some arm issues and that’s been a little bit of a challenge,” Voelker said. “He’s always been a great outfielder and the bat is starting to come alive, which is great timing. Things are really starting to click for him as it’s starting to matter more.”

Boley is Ellsworth’s final senior that Volker spoke about. Although Boley has seen limited varsity action this year, he’s the first one to arrive and the last to leave. He’s also become a vocal leader that has impacted the team significantly, even if he isn’t an everyday player.

“Tyler always puts in the extra work and has been willing to do anything to find a way on the field,” Voelker said. “He is probably our biggest vocal leader. He motivates kids and has found his niche. He has kept his head up and has motivated the younger kids.”

Ellsworth will be back in action on the road against Prescott on Tuesday, May 16. The first pitch is slated for 5 p.m.

Ellsworth Panthers Baseball, Middle Border Conference Baseball, Ellsworth High School