By Justin Ites, The Times-Citizen
Council Bluffs, IA – Ellsworth Community College played its final regular season series of the spring at Iowa Western Community College, and were swept in three games by the second-place Reivers (38-17, 26-7) by scores of 9-3, 6-2 and 5-4.
The Panthers (31-23, 18-15) will enter this week's Region XI Tournament in Carroll as the four-seed and will play fifth-seeded DMACC on Thursday (12 p.m.) at Merchants Park.
During game one, ECC starter Jordan Dahlof completed just one inning and gave up four earned runs to IWCC. That turned out to be enough run support in a 9-3 win for the hosts. The Panthers utilized six pitchers in the seven-inning contest, and the offense was held without an extra-base hit.
ECC cut the deficit to 6-3 midway through the contest, but a three-run bottom of the fifth iced the game for the Reivers.
The visitors began game two strong, plating a pair of runs in the top of the first behind the 10th home run of the season by Caden Sammler. That was all the scoring for the Panthers, and IWCC scratched across solo runs in the second, third and fourth frames to take the lead. They added three more in the eighth of a nine-inning contest.
Lefty Brock Adamson took the loss but pitched six innings, striking out six. ECC's offense was again limited, tallying just six hits.
The Panthers led game three 4-2 into the eighth inning, but the Reivers rallied with one in the eight and a pair in the ninth to walk-off ECC, 5-4.
After seven solid innings from starter Jakob Nachreiner, relief ace Casey Clair entered in the eighth. Clair recorded four outs but gave up three earned runs to take the loss.
Boston Doeschot clubbed his 21st home run of the season and finished the regular season slate with 78 RBI and a .402 batting clip.
ECC closed the regular season with five losses in six games, but has the ability and talent to make some noise in the postseason.
Looking ahead to this week's Region XI Tourney, if the Panthers defeat DMACC, they would face top-seeded Southeastern on Friday at 3:30 p.m. A loss to the Bears would force ECC to play an elimination game Thursday evening versus the loser of the three-seed (Kirkwood)/six seed (Northeast) contest. Iowa Central is the second-seed in the bracket.
For more Times-Citizen coverage of Ellsworth athletics: https://www.timescitizen.com/sports/ecc