Iron Horses baseball team one win away from state glory

The Philip Simmons Iron Horse baseball team hit its stride at the best possible time, after concluding the regular season with two losses and a 12-13 record.

 

The Iron Horses picked up their seventh consecutive victory on May 24 with a 5-3 decision over Batesburg-Leesville High School at The Phil in the first game of the Class AA State Championship Series. PSHS fell in the second game at Batesburg-Leesville.

 

As a result, the Iron Horses need just one more victory in the best-of-three series to claim their first state championship.

 

Game 3 will be played at Founders Park in Columbia, home to the University of South Carolina baseball team on Saturday, May 31. The stadium opened in 2009 and become home to a dominant Gamecocks dynasty that won the NCAA Colllege World Series in 2010 and 2011, only to be stopped short of a three-peat when they lost in the finals in 2012.

 

Coach Josh Kubisz scheduled some of the best teams in the Palmetto State, including big-school heavyweights in the regular season. He knew his squad’s regular season record might not be excellent because some of his key players were young and didn’t have big-game experience.

 

Now, they do.

 

“Like I’ve said before, we challenge ourselves in the regular season by playing a demanding schedule,” Kubisz said. “We know we lost the last two games of the season. But part of the plan was to play the best teams available, and that has helped us in the playoffs.”

 

The Iron Horses have been in overdrive once the checkered flag went up on the playoffs, with seven victories in seven games, outscoring foes 73-14.

 

The Iron Horses were impressive in winning the District 8 championship by combining hitting, pitching, defense, and speed.

 

They flexed their collective muscle in the Lower State Championship Series.

 

After a first-round victory, the Iron Horses pounded Andrews High School 22-1 and then held East Clarendon High School to five hits in an 11-1 victory to claim the Lower State title.

 

The Iron Horses collected 22 hits against Andrews in a game that was called after four innings.

 

Brian Ebeling and Daniel Ebeling led the hit parade with a combined 6-for-6 effort. Brian had three doubles and an RBI, while Daniel homered and drove in two runs.

 

What might just be more remarkable than the .1000 batting average is that they are freshmen who are two-thirds of triplet brothers. The third triplet, John-Henry, does not play baseball.

 

Daniel is not exactly a grizzled veteran but is more than up to the task as the Iron Horses’ catcher. He’s a reliable backstop, has a good arm, and puts the ball in play at the plate. 

 

He began the State Championship Series with a .315 batting average and two homers – both check in at No. 3 on the team.

 

Kyle Bachmann went 3-for-5 with a homer and six RBIs while Daniel Scarth homered in a 2-for-4 day in the lopsided win.

 

Nolan Clifford, who pitched the final three innings of the 10-run rule game, was credited with the victory, allowing three hits and both runs.

 

Daniel Ebeling was the hitting star in the 11-1 Lower State Championship game victory. He doubled, homered, and drove in two runs.

 

“Our future is bright,” Kubisz said.

 

Pierce Mullen pitched six strong innings, scattering five hits.