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PANTHER BASEBALL CHAMPIONS
'It's what winners do'
Panthers persevere to advance to DIII World Series
by John Hughes
The LaGrange College baseball team posted its best season ever in 2022 while overcoming its greatest tragedy. The Panthers set numerous team and individual records to finish the season 44-9 and with a No. 3 final ranking in the D3baseball.com Top 25 rankings.
Just hours after winning a record fifth-straight USA South Tournament championship on May 14, the Panthers lost freshman teammates Stephen Bartolotta and Jacob Brown in a tragic car accident.
“The team and our community experienced the unthinkable: the shocking loss of two players and another young man after such happy moments,” said Terlynn Olds, Director of Athletics and Recreation. “The catastrophe brought the team to a crossroads, with difficult decisions to make.”
The Panthers played on, winning the program’s first NCAA regional the following weekend against Centenary (Louisiana), sweeping the best-of-five series in three games. In the second game, LC trailed 7-6 in the ninth inning with two outs. The Panthers plated three runs for a 9-7 win, then completed the sweep of the series the next day with a 14-9 victory.
Up next for LC was hosting the Super Regional against national power Chapman (California), winners of three national championships. The Panthers took the first game 7-6 in 10 innings as junior Rhett Mixon walked with the bases loaded to force in the winning run. Chapman won the second game 9-8 to set up a deciding Game 3. Sophomore Ethan Fry pitched the Panthers to a 4-2 win—and a first-time trip to the NCAA Division III Baseball Championship in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
The Panthers opened the eight-team tournament with a 12-0 win over Trinity (Texas). Junior Baley Coleman allowed four hits in 7 1/3 innings as the Panthers scored 10 runs in their last three at-bats. Top-ranked Eastern Connecticut State edged LC 4-3 in the second game to put the Panthers into an elimination contest against Trinity.
The team kept the season going with a 15-3 romp over the Tigers. Senior McKinley Erves had five RBIs, while sophomore Jared Aldridge and senior Dustin Doscher each hit a home run. Facing Eastern Connecticut State for the second time, the Panthers had their season end with an 8-1 loss.
Coach David Kelton spoke of the future of the program after the season-ending game.
“This is the standard for us: This group was the first to bust through the regional, super regional and to the DIII World Series,” he said. “We talk about it all the time, wanting to compete for a national championship. I have no doubt we will be back.”
Senior pitcher Tanner Chafin said players drew inspiration from their fallen Panthers.
“The team came together when we could have lain down earlier after the conference tournament, but we came together as a family,” he said. “We decided we wanted to do it for them (Bartolotta and Brown). That’s what it came down to for us.”
Junior third baseman Joe Ruth was a first-team selection on the D3baseball.com and ABCA/ Rawlings All-America teams. Ruth batted .443 with 10 home runs and 83 RBIs. He set a school, USA South and Division III season record with 109 hits. Erves joined Ruth on both All-America teams, as a second-team and third-team selection. Erves batted .409 with five home runs and 52 RBIs. He scored 91 runs—breaking school, conference and Division III season marks.
WHEN GRIEF HAS TO BAT
In loving memory of Stephen Bartolotta and Jacob Brown In honor of the LaGrange baseball team 2022
“When Grief has to Bat” was written by the Rev. David L. Baxter, a United Methodist minister and father of President Susanna Baxter. He penned the piece after the Panthers won their Regional competition against Centenary the weekend after losing their teammates.
Those who watched LaGrange Panthers’ baseball at Cleveland Field last Friday and Saturday knew they were watching more than a play-off series.
More was at stake than strikes and balls.
Every play would be overshadowed by the unbelievable tragic loss of two players less than a week before.
No doubt families and coaches wondered if the players could find the desire and will and stamina to play at all.
No one would have blamed them if they had said we don’t have the concentration and strength to play our best ball.
After all, who of us has been called to take the field so quickly under such public and personal emotional tonnage? Together, the decision was made to not let grief be the last inning of their season.
If ever team motivation and determination would call the signals, this would be it.
The determining issue would be more than the final score.
Rather, the game would be about their inner resources of character and willpower to play with a greater sense of urgency, grit and determination.
They would need to feed off of each other’s strength and trust each other’s steadfastness of ability as never before.
No doubt they found confidence in knowing Stephen and Jacob would want them to play.
Of course, they would be playing for LaGrange’s baseball legacy.
Even more, on this Friday and Saturday the players would be creating their own legacy of team character, resiliency and belief in what together they could overcome.
In short, grief would not lessen their grip on the bat.
And they played, and they came from behind—the second-out kids. When the third game ended a victorious series, celebratory grief closed the game.
Stephen and Jacob’s numbered jerseys were reverently placed on the pitcher’s mound, as coaches and players stood in circle formation. Surely, not a dry eye to be found there or among the families and fans who watched.
What will never be forgotten, more than the grief of tragic loss, is the lesson for life that this team gave us: grief can and must bat. It’s what winners do.
David Baxter - May 23, 2022
