LEWISBERRY, Pa. — Red Land baseball head coach Nate Ebbert has been in the Red Land dugout in some capacity since 1997.
Since Ebbert took over as manager over a decade ago, he has watched the program soar to new heights. This season Ebbert reached a milestone as he won his 200th game and it is a good time to reflect on his wild ride.
In just the past few seasons the Patriots, like most teams, have seen it all. A state championship run in 2019, the COVID disruption in 2020, then a gut-punching defeat in the state title game last season.
Red Land is currently one of the best programs in the state, however. The reason why, as Ebbert puts it, is staying in the moment, and just trying to win every game.
The Patriots have seen star players come through in recent years, Cole and Luke Wagner, and Benny Montgomery who was drafted in the first round of the MLB draft by the Rockies last summer.
Ebbert may turn in the line-up card and make decisions when it comes to who is on the mound, but he laughs when asked what it is like for him to win his 200th game.
“Couldn’t do it if those kids weren’t working hard in the off season,” Ebbert told FOX43. “I get a lot of the credit for a lot of stuff I don’t have anything to do with. These kids work hard."
Referring to his players, Ebbert says the motto is “just do your work. When you do that consistently and you have a lot of good players, which I have, the numbers just kind of accumulate over the years.”
Kaden Peifer, a standout pitcher and catcher, has high praise for his coach and his milestone victory.
“It was a great moment,” he said. “I have known coach my whole life; he is like another dad to me, so seeing him get that 200th win with me being a part of it...is something special.”