Sunday, June 27, 2010

Champions: Ely blasts Hibbing to win DQ crown

For the first time since 2004, the host team has come out on top at the DQ Grill and Chill Classic.

Ely clinched the tournament crown Sunday, erupting for eight runs in the bottom of the second inning and going on to a 12-2, five-inning rout of Hibbing at Veterans Memorial Field.

The win capped a perfect weekend for Post 248, which won all four of its games in the seven-team tournament, earned the first-place trophy and extended its unbeaten string to six games.

Ely got another strong pitching performance, this time from junior Alex Koschak, who escaped some early trouble and finished with a three-hitter and five strikeouts.

And Koschak got plenty of offensive support, and a sizeable cushion thanks to the eight-run second inning barrage that included eight Ely hits.

Two were by Nick Mathews, who doubled to start the rally and helped cap it off with a two-run double to center. Mathews finished the day three-for-three, with three runs scored and three runs batted in.  Aaron Donais singled in a run in the second and finished with two runs batted in for the winners, while leadoff man Sean Fisher scored twice and had two hits. Riley Bernsdorf added two hits.

Koschak, meanwhile, picked up his first win of the year. He stranded five Hibbing runners in the first two frames, then settled in and retired nine of the last 10 batters he faced.

Both Ely and Minnetonka went 4-0  in the tournament, but Ely claimed the title based on the first tiebreaker - runs allowed. Ely gave up only nine runs in four games.

In other action Sunday, Minnetonka blew out Proctor 16-4 in five innings and Sartell outslugged Esko 13-7.

Final tournament standings were: Ely 4-0; Minnetonka 4-0; Sartell 2-2; Esko 1-2; Hibbing 1-3; Proctor 1-3; Marble 0-3.

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