ELLIS, Kan. — No. 13 Nickerson saw its season come to an end Wednesday with a 10-0 loss to No. 4 Ellis in a Class 3A baseball regional opener.
The Panthers finished the season 9-18. Ellis improved to 17-8 and will host No. 5 Holcomb in next Tuesday’s regional semifinal. Holcomb advanced with a 10-0 win over No. 12 Sylvan-Lucas.
Ellis took control early, scoring three runs in the first inning and adding another in the second. The Railers broke the game open in the third when Aiden Aschenbrenner hit a three-run inside-the-park home run to extend the lead to 7-0.
Aschenbrenner led Ellis at the plate, going 4 for 5 with a double, inside-the-park home run, four RBIs and two runs scored. Ben Byers added two hits, an RBI and two runs, while Baylor Born, Asher Haag and Colt McCoy each had two hits.
Nickerson was held to two hits. Corbin Shelton singled in the third inning, and Dale Smith doubled in the fourth. Fallon Rist walked twice for the Panthers.
Byers earned the win for Ellis, throwing six scoreless innings. He allowed two hits, walked three and struck out 10.