One game short of title, Iron Horse baseball team reloads for '26
Philip Simmons High School baseball coach Josh Kubisz has been around long enough to realize the South Carolina Baseball Coaches Association’s preseason baseball poll is based partly on past reputation or potential with little scouting involved.
In other words, it’s not the most scientific way to measure a team’s worth.
Still, Kubisz was pleased when his team earned the No. 4 ranking in the Class AA preseason poll.
“I’m glad people think highly of our program,” Kubisz said. “Now, we have to go out and earn that recognition.”
The Iron Horses are coming off the best season in the program’s brief history. They showed great improvement in almost every game last spring and reached the Class AA state championship series against Batesburg-Leesville High School.
The Iron Horses won Game 1 at the Phil and needed just one more win to lift the championship trophy for the first time.
The Iron Horses led Game 2, 1-0, and needed only six outs to grab the title. But the Panthers rallied to take Game 2, winning 3-2, to force Game 3.
Unfortunately, the Panthers won Game 3 at the University of South Carolina’s Founders Park and ended their 76-year state championship drought. The Iron Horses finished as runners-up, with a 19-15 record.
“We did a lot of celebrating this season,” Iron Horse coach Josh Kubisz said after the decisive game. “We celebrated a region championship. We celebrated a district championship. We celebrated our first Lower State championship. It was a successful season.”
The Iron Horses might have been the hottest team in the state when the 2025 playoffs began. The Iron Horses posted seven wins in seven playoff games, outscoring foes 73-14, to reach the championship series.
The 2026 squad is still young. And still talented.
Two players to keep tabs on this spring are brothers Brian and Daniel Ebeling. Brian plays shortstop and pitches, while Daniel is a catcher. They are among the top sophomores in the state.
“They are studs,” Kubisz said of the brothers, who are two-thirds of triplet brothers. The third triplet, John-Henry, does not play baseball. “They can hit, they play defense, and work hard.”
The Ebeling brothers showcased their talent in a playoff victory over Andrews High School last spring. The brothers led the victory with a combined 6-for-6 effort. Brian had three doubles and an RBI, while Daniel homered and drove in two runs.
Junior Blake Johnson is a middle infielder whom Kubisz calls an unsung hero because of his work ethic and talent. He’s played in 49 varsity games and has a .301 career batting average, with three doubles and 11 RBI.
Pitcher/outfielder Alex Romanski is back for his senior season. Romanski, who will matriculate to USC-Sumter, led the Iron Horses in three offensive categories: on-base-percentage (.514), home runs (4), and stolen bases (18).
The Iron Horses open the season with a March 9 game at Cane Bay High School. Two days later, PSHS hosts Bishop England in a rivalry test. The Iron Horses conclude their opening with a March 12 road trip to Georgetown.