The Ellsworth Panther baseball team was riding a two-game skid heading into Saturday's non-conference tilt at Spring Valley. The Panthers' Vinnie Oricchio blasted a two-run homerun in the top of the first inning. Throw in three Spring Valley errors and a walk and Ellsworth was leading 3-0 before some of the fans could lather up sunscreen on the picturesque May day in Spring Valley.

Through the top of the fourth inning, the Cardinals had dished out seven walks, committed four errors, and one passed ball.

Ellsworth looked to be cruising to a win, ahead 7-2 after three and half innings of play.

"This group of kids seem to have a natural instinct to never give up," said Spring Valley Head Coach Brandon Walczak. "They did it in football and basketball. There have been so many games we've been down and they just keep grinding and find ways. It's not the coaching; it's the kids and this senior group."

The Cardinals led off the bottom of the fourth with three straight singles by Jake Hannack, Braden Gregg, and Chase Rud. After two walks and a hit batter, Ellsworth Head Coach Brandon Voelker made a pitching change.

Caleb Bartko greeted the new hurler with a two-run double scoring Caleb Rogers and Cade Stasiek, as Spring Valley scored five runs in the fourth inning to tie the score at 7-apiece.

With two outs in the bottom of the sixth and the score still knotted up at seven, Stasiek came to the plate. He noticed the third baseman was playing back and laid down a drag bunt. With blinding speed down the tan dirt basepath, Stasiek easily beat the throw for an infield single.

Stasiek was 3 for 3 on the day with an RBI and two runs scored.

"Coach (Walczak) showed me how to drag bunt at practice yesterday," said Stasiek. "So I figured I'd just try it."

"That was all him," said Walczak. "Cade is a very intelligent athlete and I just told him whenever you feel comfortable doing it, go ahead and do it."

Practice made perfect for Stasiek and the Cardinals. Stasiek told Coach Walczak he wanted the ball on the mound in the seventh inning, so Blake Bengtson pitch-ran for him as Stasiek warmed up in the bullpen. After a pass ball, Bengtson moved to second. Trevor Forster hit a sharp ground ball to the Panther shortstop and his errant throw allowed Forster to reach first, but more importantly for the Cardinal faithful screaming and cheering by the concession stand, it allowed Bengtson to score and take the 8-7 lead into the top of the seventh.

Ellsworth was mounting a comeback of their own in the top of the seventh. After a fly out, Grayson Jensen reached base on a single. Gavin Klos walked. With one out and runners on first and second, Panther senior Derek Johnson hit a hot-shot grounder to Spring Valley third basemen Braden Gregg. Like a hockey goalie making a diving glove save, Gregg made the play, stepped on third for the second out and fired it across the infield for the game-ending double play.

Gregg also pitched 2.1 innings of hitless and scoreless ball with two outs in the fourth through the sixth innings and picked up the win on the mound. Stasiek recorded the save. 

"It's good to get a win against a school that's way bigger than us," said Stasiek. "It looks good on the resume."

"I think the only people that think we can win right now is my assistant and I," said Ellsworth Head Coach Brandon Voelker. "As coaches, we can try to pick them up when they're having a bad day, but the kids have to learn to pick each other up. We're on a slide right now, but I truthfully believe we have a team that can win a regional championship, if not go further."

Ellsworth dropped to 6-10 on the season. The Panthers will host Osceola on Thursday and travel to Unity on Friday. Spring Valley improved to 8-6 after the Ellsworth win, but dropped to 8-7 after a 12-7 loss to Durand-Arkansaw on Monday. Spring Valley will host Elk Mound on Thursday.