Loss to Elsberry in Class 3 sectional brings coaching career of Palmyra’s Loman to end

PALMYRA, Mo. — Mark Loman now knows what it’s like to hear one of his speeches and take the uniform off for the final time after a season-ending loss.

The Palmyra baseball coach bid a tearful goodbye to his seniors after the Panthers lost 9-3 to Elsberry in a Class 3 sectional game Tuesday night at Flower City Park. 

It also was the last time Loman will guide a Palmyra baseball team. He is retiring after 20 years as the head coach of the Panthers, 27 years overall as a coach and 29 years in education.

“I feel like a senior right now, because I mean, you know, it’s the end of the year for me, too,” Loman said. “It’s hard, that last loss, no matter what it is. This probably is my last game coaching. I was real worried about myself today. It really hasn’t hit me yet. I’m trying to keep myself under control in front of my son (Alex, a senior), in front of all the seniors while they’re crying. I don’t want to make it worse for him. 

“This game has taught me a lot about life. Life’s not fair, and the game itself is not fair.”

Palmyra (12-11-1) entered the sectional with victories in six of its last seven games. However, defensive mistakes proved costly on Tuesday. 

Elsberry (18-7) scored first by plating two runs in the top of the third inning. A misplayed bunt by Palmyra pitcher Ethan Tallman allowed the first run to score. An off-the-end-of-the-bat single to right by the Indians’ Joel Mound drove in the second run.

The Indians added two more runs with two outs in the fourth inning. George Stonebraker singled to center. Eli Gladney followed with a ground ball to Palmyra third baseman Adam Goodwin, who threw the ball in the dirt to first base. As Stonebraker headed to third, Palmyra first baseman Nolyn Richards retrieved the loose ball and tried to throw out Gladney at second. The throw sailed into the outfield, allowing Stonebraker to score.

“You’re not going to beat a team like that with all those errors,” Loman said.

Elsberry added another run in the fifth when Palmyra shortstop Landyn Smith fielded a ground ball with a runner on third but couldn’t get the ball out of his glove to throw home, and his throw to first was late to get Colby Twellman

Palmyra left the bases loaded in the third when Alex Wilson and Goodwin both popped up. Elsberry pitcher Gavin Woodson blanked the hosts for four innings before the Panthers finally scored in the fifth on Wilson’s two-out RBI single.

After Elsberry scored again in the sixth, Palmyra finally knocked Woodson out of the game. Alex Loman led off the inning with a walk, and Rayce Ragar singled. Both runners moved up a base on an errant pickoff throw by Woodson. Richards singled to left to score Alex Loman, but left fielder Christopher Dowell easily gunned down Ragar at home plate.

Woodson then struck out Tallman before giving way to Kaden Kinsler, who fanned Brayden Shannon to end the threat.

“I thought we had a shot the whole time,” Alex Loman said. “I never had doubt in my mind that we weren’t going to come back. We fought all the way.”

Elsberry loaded the bases in the seventh against Smith, who came on in relief of Tallman in the fifth. Sean Phillips then ripped a two-run double to center, and Stonebraker delivered a sacrifice fly to put Elsberry ahead 9-3.

Smith picked up his third hit in the seventh, and Goodwin drew a walk. However, Kinsler struck out two and got Alex Loman to ground out to end the game.

“He’s been my coach ever since I started playing baseball and playing basketball,” Alex Loman said of his father. “It hasn’t really hit me yet, but it’ll for sure hit me knowing that he won’t ever coach me again.”