Trojan baseball team mourns the loss of fellow teammate

By Mike Swenson

On Tuesday, April 15, the Trojan baseball team began their 2025 season hosting the Canby Lancers. The game was played with a heavy heart from the Trojan players and coaches as they would be minus one player.

On Thursday, April 10, after haveing four weeks of practice and anticipating our first game, our Trojan baseball family was shocked by the loss of freshman player Alexis Panama, who had passed away during the night. Alexis was in his second year of playing baseball for the Trojans and proudly wore #28.

Having worked at the Ortonville Independent the last 20 years, the Blake family has allowed me to do something I love and that is coaching athletics. Having coached elementary, junior high and high school athletes in baseball, football and basketball, I have had the opportunity to watch kids grow and excel in athletics.

This year is my first year serving as the head coach of the Ortonville Trojan baseball team. After serving as the assistant coach last year, I knew we had some very talented players.

I first got to know Alexis serving as his coach of the VFW baseball team last summer. Alexis was enthusiastic about playing baseball. He really wanted to do well, and was working hard at trying to learn the game and develop the fundamendals needed to play baseball.

The day before his passing, we had practice and Alexis was playing right field. He had missed a fly ball hit to him and yelled, “hit me another”. That was one of the first times we heard that which made all the coaches extremely happy to see how good he wanted to be.

Alexis was also a member of the Ortonville High School band. He played the saxaphone and brought an energy to the group. He also had a moped that he would drive around town, especially to the Ortonville pool during the summer.

After learning of Alexis’s death, the Ortonville School immediatley contacted counselors and clergy to come in and help comfort those students and staff that needed to hear encouraging words. I commend the school administration for their efforts in handling this.

The funeral for Alexis was held on Monday, April 14 at the Ortonville School. There were many tears shed as classmates, teachers, friends and family all said our final goodbye to Alexis. The Trojan baseball team presented his father, Jose, mother Liliana and brother Sibrain with a card, autographed baseball and hat.

The Trojan baseball team has dedicated this season in honor of Alexis. His jersey will be hung in the dugout during games to remember this young man. 

On the day we opened the season, the team observed a moment of silence in honor of Alexis. Then Jose Panama, with his family by his side, threw out the first pitch. He threw a perfect strike with a smile on his face. The team embraced his family with hugs and handshakes. Although the Trojans did not win the game, the effort was there.

None of us as coaches and players had gone through a situation like this. We do know that Alexis will be missed and will continue to be there for each other as the season progresses. We ask that as a community you keep the Panama family in your prayers.

The following is a short poem in honor of Alexis:

A diamond's glow, now dimmed by fate,

A final pitch, a somber state.

The bat, a memory, now still,

A player gone, beyond the hill.

The game moves on, a timeless call,

But in our hearts, you stand up tall.

The cheers fade out, a silent plea,

For a player loved, eternally.