Regional runners-up: Wahpeton rally dashes Ely's title bid

An elusive third out was Ely's undoing Sunday afternoon in the Division II Central Plains Regional championship game.

Three walks, a bad-hop single and a wild pitch - all after two outs were recorded - allowed host Wahpeton to rally for a 3-1 victory and spoil Post 248's quest for the regional crown.

Seth Meide's two-run ground ball took a wicked hop and evaded Ely third baseman Trevor Bernsdorf, allowing the tying and go-ahead runs to score as Wahpeton (47-5) erased a 1-0 deficit in the next-to-last frame. A wild pitch by losing pitcher Wes Snyder brought in Preston Kath, and winning pitcher and tournament MVP Jeremy Bontjes retired Ely in order in the seventh, giving the tournament hosts and North Dakota runner-up its first regional championship.

Ely, which finished second in last weekend's Minnesota state tournament and was making its second consecutive regional bid, finished 32-11.

For five innings, it looked as if Ely would win the tournament as Snyder kept Wahpeton off the board.

But Ely, which won its first three games in the regional including a 6-4 Saturday decision over Wahpeton, misfired on many scoring opportunities.

Nick Mathews' sacrifice fly plated Sean Fisher in teh top of the third, but Post 248 left the bases loaded in teh second and stranded two more runners in the third.

Bontjes, who relieved starter Tyler Gripentrop, worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the fourth and induced double-play balls in both the fifth and sixth frames. Ely stranded 11 runners through six innings.

Snyder, who suffered only his third loss of the year, gave up four hits and recorded six strikeouts.

Mathews had two of Ely's five hits while Jory Johnson added a second-inning double.

Johnson, Bernsdorf and Snyder all made the 12-player all-tournament team.

Despite first regional loss, Ely plays one game Sunday for championship

Plato kept its regional title hopes alive Saturday night while Ely suffered its first defeat in a 10-0 drubbing in the Division II Central Plains Tournament.

The Minnesota state champions roughed up four Ely pitchers, pounding 15 hits and advancing to take on Wahpeton at 1 p.m. Sunday.

Ely (32-10) awaits the winner at 3:30 p.m. in the championship game. Post 248 secured its spot in the finals earlier in the day with a 6-4 win over Wahpeton, a victory that left Ely as the tournament's final unbeaten team.

But Ely was unable to keep its hot streak going Saturday night, struggling against winning pitcher Derek Bratsch, who tossed a four-hitter and struck out three.

Plato got single runs in the first and second frames and knocked out Ely starter Riley Bernsdorf in the third, taking a 4-0 lead.

Behind three hits from Adam Prehn and two doubles from Derek Weber, Plato added to its lead and led 9-0 through five innings.

Will Gustafson relieved Bernsdorf while Bradley Roy tossed a scoreless sixth for Post 248. Plato added a run against Jory Johnson in the final frame.

Gustafson had two of the four Ely hits.

Wahpeton stayed alive in the tournament by defeating Wisconsin Dells 9-4 in eight innings.

Sunday's tournament action can be followed online at www.wahpetonbaseball.org.

Big inning, Helget carry Ely into regional finals

A six-run explosion in the bottom of the second and a gritty pitching performance by Greg Helget were the difference Saturday afternoon as Ely beat Wahpeton (N.D.) and earned a spot in the Division II Central Plains Regional finals.

After walking eight batters in an abbeviated start on Friday, Helget bounced back with a solid outing against the tournament hosts and North Dakota runners-up. The senior righthander took a 6-0 lead into the sixth before tiring, and Wahpeton (44-5) opened the frame with three hits and a walk.

Helget gave way to Wes Snyder, who retired six straight batters to close out the win, Ely's program-record 32nd of the year. Now 8-2 this year, Helget went five-plus innings and gave up five hits with three strikeouts.

Ely got all the offense it would need in the second, when it sent 11 batters to the plate and quieted the home crowd. Jory Johnson's two-run single got Post 248 on the board, and Ely made it 3-0 on Sean Fisher's two-out infield single. An error prolonged the inning and put another run on the board, and Snyder closed out the rally with his second hit of the frame - a two-run single to center.

Ely finished with seven hits, including two apiece by Snyder and Johnson, against two Wahpeton pitchers.

While Ely is assured of a spot in the tournament finals and can finish no worse than second in the regional, it must play another game at 6 p.m. Saturday against Minnesota champion Plato.

A victory would knock Plato from the tournament and match Ely up against either Wahpeton or Wisconsin Dells in Sunday's finals, with either opponent needing to beat Post 248 twice to win the championship.

If Ely loses against Plato, it would nonetheless get a bye into Sunday's final, with Plato taking on either Wahpeton or Wisconsin Dells, and the winner advancing to play Ely at 3:30 p.m.

A North Dakota hit parade: Ely stuns Kansas champs, 9-6

A 15-hit barrage, a gutty relief outing and some key defensive plays gave Ely its second win in as many days at the Division II Central Plains Regional.

Post 248 got three hits apiece from Nick Mathews and Greg Helget, while Trevor Bernsdorf pitched five and two-thirds innings of relief in a 9-6 winners brackt decision over Kansas champ Iola (41-5).

Ely (31-9) moves into the winners' bracket final at 1 p.m. Saturday, against either Plato (Minn.) or Wahpeton (N.D.).

It was a rollercoaster ride of sorts for Ely, which jumped out to a 5-0 lead after an inning-and-a-half but watched Iola score three times without a hit in the bottom of the second, as Helget was knocked from the mound.

The Ely starter battled control problems and walked eight batters before giving way to Bernsdorf, who escaped a bases-loaded jam in the second and settled in for his third straight win.

Meanwhile, Post 248 got needed insurance by scoring once in the fifth, twice in the sixth and one more in the seventh.

Mathews ripped a double and scored on a Helget single in the fifth, putting Ely up 6-3. Iola cut the gap to 6-4 on Jerrik Sigg's solo homer, but Ely bounced right back in the sixth.

That's when Ely scored on consecutive hits by Bernsdorf, Snyder and Mathews.

Iola trimmed the gap to 8-6 in the sixth, but Bernsdorf knocked in Helget to make it 9-6 in the seventh.

Bernsdorf, who scattered eight hits, retired Iola on one hit in the final frame.

With the win, Post 248 has matched an all-time single-season record for wins and can break the mark tomorrow.

Three more games are in store in Wahpeton today and action can be followed online at www.wahpetonbaseball.org,  with a video feed at webcast50.com, under Wahpeton High School and live events.

Redemption in the regional: Snyder, Ely blank Las Vegas

Ely finally caught a break Thursday in Wahpeton, N.D.

After losing two regional games last summer in heartbreaking fashion, and following a pair of walkoff defeats last weekend in the state tournament, Post 248 turned the tables in its Division II Central Plains opener, scoring in the bottom of the seventh to beat Shadow Ridge (Las Vegas, Nev.) 1-0.

Trevor Bernsdorf scored all the way from second base when Wes Snyder's two-out ground ball was misplayed by the Shadow Ridge second baseman, and Ely advanced into a winners' bracket game on Friday with Iola, Kan.

Post 248 prevailed in a contest dominated by two pitchers: Snyder and Logan Hold. Ely's senior lefthander retired 14 consecutive batters in one stretch and finished with a two-hitter and 11 strikeouts.

Hold, meanwhile, was the tough-luck losing pitcher while giving up only two hits.

Snyder walked two batters in the first but the Ely ace stranded runners at the corners and went into shutdown mode, holding Las Vegas without a hit until the sixth.

Ely wasted a one-out double by Snyder in the second inning and didn't threaten again until the final frame.

That's when Trevor Bernsdorf opened the inning with an infield hit. Riley Bernsdorf moved his older brother over with a sacrifice bunt, but Hold retired Nick Mathews with a ground out. Snyder followed with a ground ball that evaded the glove of the Las Vegas second baseman, and Ely had its first regional win since 2005.

Ely lost two straight games at last year's regional - one by one run and the other in eight innings.

In other first round action Thursday:
* Iola (Kan.) 11, Grafton (N.D.) 4;
* Plato (Minn). 3, Wisconsin Dells (Wis.) 2 (10)
* Wahpeton (N.D.) 4, Groton (S.D.) 3.

The tournament continues Friday with six games. Action can be followed online at www.wahpetonbaseball.org.

Look west, Ely Legion: Vegas foe looms in regional opener

Ely will play the opening game of the day when the Division II Central Plains Regional begins Thursday at Wahpeton, N.D.

Post 248 plays in the regional for a second straight year after a second consecutive runner-up finish in the state tournament, and will take on Shadow Ridge, Nevada at 11 a.m. in the first of four first-round contests.

Ely (29-9) draws the Nevada state champions, who hail from the Las Vegas area, in an event that features teams from six states.

In other first round action, Iola (Kansas) takes on Grafton (North Dakota) at 2 p.m., followed by Minnesota champion Plato against Wisconsin Dells (Wisconsin) at 5 p.m.  Host Wahpeton takes on Groton (South Dakota) at 8 p.m. to close out the first round.

The tournament continues with six more contest Friday, three on Saturday and the title game Sunday at 1 p.m.

Second chance yields second-place finish in state, regional berth for Ely

In improbable fashion, Ely's American Legion baseball team got both a new lease on life and a heartbreaking defeat Sunday in Sacred Heart.

After Dilworth was disqualified from the Division II state tournament on Sunday morning, the scheduled third-place game between Ely and Stewartville instead became a one-game showdown for both a spot in the state finals and a regional tournament berth.

Post 248 survived that contest and won 7-5 and took a 3-2 lead into the bottom of the seventh inning in Sunday's state title game against Plato.

But needing just one more strike for its first state title, Ely instead had to settle for its second straight runner-up finish, as Adam Prehn deposited a 3-2 pitch over the left field fence and gave his team a 4-3 win.

A rollercoaster 24 hours for Post 248 ended with a devastating defeat, but Ely (29-9) still moves on to this week's Division II Central Plains Regional, which starts Thursday at Wahpeton, N.D. A first-round opponent and game time have yet to be determined.

Ely's fate seemed to be determined Saturday night, when Dilworth pulled out a 4-3 win and advanced to the title game.  But the Ninth District champions were disqualified early Sunday, throwing the tournament in limbo.

Given a second chance to advance, Ely took advantage against Stewartville and ripped 11 hits. Ely had two-run innings in the third, fourth and fifth frames to take control and winning pitcher Trevor Bernsdorf kept the First District champs off balance.

Sean Fisher had a two-run single in the fourth and finished with three runs batted in, while Jory Johnson added two hits. Greg Helget's sacrifice fly gave Ely a 7-3 lead in the top of the seventh, and Post 248 needed the insurance.

Bernsdorf, who gave up six hits, tired in the seventh and Wes Snyder came on to record the save.

Ely moved right into the title game with Plato Sunday afternoon and took a 2-1 lead in the third on hits by Fisher, Trevor Bernsdorf and Nick Mathews. Plato tied it in the fourth, and the drama was just beginning.

Post 248 wasted a double by Snyder in the sixth and stranded him at third, but Fisher stroked a one-out double in the seventh. He moved to third on a groundout and scored the go-ahed run on a wild pitch, and Ely was three outs away from the title.

Teddy Peterson's leadoff single started the rally, but Riley Bernsdorf recorded two outs before Prehn stepped in. Plato's number-three hitter worked the count full, then delivered the walk-off blow.

Going the distance, Riley Bernsdorf, gave up eight hits and two earned runs.

Dilworth rallies past Ely in state semifinals

Ely couldn't hold on to a slim lead and Dilworth rallied in the final two innings to pull out a 4-3 victory in a Division II state semifinal game Saturday night in Sacred Heart.

Hunter Rosenfeldt's bases-loaded single against a drawn-in infield brought in Dylan DeJong with the game-winning run and Dilworth advanced to Sunday's state championship game and earned a berth in next week's Central Plains Regional in Wahpeton, N.D.

The game-winning rally was set up by a walk and an error, and the District Nine champions also took advantage of a walk and a Shawn Johnson single to tie the game at three in the bottom of the sixth.

Ely (28-8) took a 2-1 lead in the second on Wes Snyder's two-run homer, and after losing pitcher Greg Helget walked in a run in the bottom of the frame, Ely regained the lead in the fourth on Sean Fisher's single.

The game had its twists and turns, with Dilworth escaping a jam in the sixth when a squeeze bunt attempt turned into a double play. Back-to-back web gems by second baseman Nick Mathews helped Ely escape the bottom of the sixth with a tie game.

Ely put two runners aboard in the seventh, but winning pitcher Isaiah Greene got his ninth strikeout of the game when he needed it most.

Helget went the distance and gave up five hits and recorded seven strikeouts.

Ely will take on Stewartville in Sunday's third-place game, set for 11:30 a.m.

State semifinal game can be heard online

Those unable to make it to this evening's state semifinal game between Ely and Dilworth won't have to miss the game.

That's because it can be heard online at www.kdmanews.com.  All of the tournament games will be broadcast and streamed online at this website.

Ely takes on Dilworth tonight at 7:30 p.m. in one Division II state semifinal contest, while Plato and Stewartville square off at 5 p.m.  The winners meet Sunday at 2 p.m. for the state title while the losers play at 11:30 a.m. Sunday for third place.

The top two finishers in the Division II State Tournament advance to regional play next week at Wahpeton, N.D.

On to the semifinals! Ely edges Paynesville 2-1

Some timely hitting, solid pitching and one key ground ball got Ely's American Legion baseball team  into the state semifinals.

Louie Gerzin's two-out single in the sixth gave Ely the lead, and winning pitcher Wes Snyder coaxed a double-play ball to escape a seventh-inning jam as Post 248 held on and beat Paynesville 2-1 in a Friday afternoon matchup at Sacred Heart.

The win, Ely's 28th of the year, was good for a berth in Saturday's Division II semifinals and a 7:30 p.m. date with Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton, which beat host Sacred Heart in another quarterfinal.

After Paynesville got its only run of the game in the top of the sixth, Ely (28-7) responded with a two-out rally in the sixth. Singles by Riley Bernsdorf and Nick Mathews set the table, and Gerzin followed with a sharp single to center that brought Bernsdorf home with the go-ahead run.

But Ely still had to survive the seventh, and things looked perilous when two singles and a walk brought Nathan Meyer to the plate with one out.

Meyer already had three hits, but didn't get his fourth. Snyder cleanly fielded his ground ball, threw to catcher Greg Helget for the force at the plate and watched as Helget fired on to first to complete the twin-killing.

Snyder, who earned his seventh win of the summer, struck out eight while giving up five hits. He issued three free passes.

Ely struggled early on against losing pitcher Josh Bunjum but broke through in the fourth. Trevor Bernsdorf singled to start the frame and he eventually scored on a groundout by Mathews.

Bunjum gave up six hits and struck out five for the Sixth District champions.

In earlier quarterfinal action, Plato beat defending Division II champions Eden Valley-Watkins 5-1 in nine innings, and Stewartville blasted Luverne 10-1.

VFW wins districts, headed to state!

Just as Ely's Legion team did over the weekend, the Ely VFW baseball team survived three elimination games and came back to win its first district title in 13 years.

Pat Huisman and Will Gustafson drove in runs in the top of the seventh, while Riley Bernsdorf slammed the door in the bottom half to give Post 2717 a 6-4 Eighth District title game victory over Cloquet Wednesday night at Hermantown's Fichtner Field.

Ely (29-6) is district champions for the first time since 1999, and will move on to the single-class VFW state tournament which starts Aug. 9 at Mankato.

Ely won its district title the hard way, coming back after losing 3-1 to Cloquet in a winners' bracket matchup on Monday.

Gustafson got the win on the mound as Ely held off Hermantown 7-4 on Tuesday, and Post 2717 erased a 5-1 deficit and came back to beat Cloquet 7-5 later in the day, forcing a deciding game for the title.

Ely jumped out to a 4-1 lead Wednesday, with Bernsdorf's two-run triple in the first the key blow. But Cloquet (27-8) clawed back and eventually tied the contest in the bottom of the sixth, chasing Gustafson and bringing Bernsdorf on in relief.

But Cloquet ace Brandon Conklin couldn't shut down Ely in the seventh. Bernsdorf was hit by a pitch to start the inning, and Louie Gerzin reached on an infield single. A misplayed bunt loaded the bases and Ely took the lead when Huisman reached on a fielder's choice.  Gustafson's single to right added an insurance run and Ely was on its way.

On to state! Helget pitches Ely to third straight district crown

Greg Helget and Ely's American Legion baseball team would not be denied.

The senior righthander pitched 12 innings Sunday and picked up two wins, as Ely completed its comeback from the elimination bracket and claimed its third straight district championship with a 3-2, 7-1 sweep of Taconite.

Helget tossed a complete-game three-hitter in the opener and kept right on going in game two, working the first five innngs and allowing just two hits before giving way to Wes Snyder.

Ely (27-7) erased a 2-0 deficit with three runs in the fourth to force a deciding game, and then pounced early in game two, striking for four runs in the top of the second.

That was enough for Helget, who didn't give up an earned run on Sunday and finished the tournament with three wins and a 0.00 earned run average in 19 innings pitched.

Ely, which advances to state for the 11th time in 16 years, will take on Paynesville at 4 p.m. Friday in a Division II state quarterfinal game at Sacred Heart.

Taconite pounded Ely 11-2 Friday in a winners bracket game but Post 248 turned the tables before a big crowd in Sunday's rematch.

Pat Huisman's pinch-hit single got Ely on the board in the bottom of the fourth and closed the gap to 2-1. Cody Bialik drew a bases-loaded walk to force in the tying run and the go-ahead tally scored on a wild pitch.

Helget, meanwhile, worked out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the sixth and retired the side in order in the seventh.

Ely was the visiting team in the nightcap and batted around in the second, chasing losing pitcher Derek Bundy. Wes Snyder's run-scoring double drew first blood, and Helget followed with a run-scoring single.  Trevor Bernsdorf's two-run single made it 4-0.

Snyder added a two-run single in the third and drove in another run in the seventh while finishing three-for-four.

Helget gave up an unearned run in the fifth while Snyder tossed two innings of hitless relief as Ely secured its 11th state tournament berth in 16 years.

Ely eliminates Deer River, sets up rematch with Taconite

A masterful pitching performance by Trevor Bernsdorf pushed Ely's American Legion baseball team into the district championship game.

The righthander blanked Deer River 4-0, tossing a five-hitter and issuing no walks in the complete game effort as Post 248 improved to 25-7 and set up a district title game rematch with Taconite, set for 1:30 p.m. Sunday at Veterans Memorial Field.

Bernsdorf, a senior-to-be, issued no walks and didn't strike out a batter. He was aided by an Ely defense that made no errors.

Post 248 got all the runs it would need in the bottom of the fourth, as Jory Johnson's two-run double to left got the hosts on the board. Wes Snyder followed with a run-scoring hit to right.

In the sixth, Ely tacked on one more as Jared Poderzay singled to right to drive in Nick Mathews.

Ely finished with seven hits, but no starter got more than one.

The two-time defending district champions need a win in Sunday's first game to set up a decisive second contest for the district title. A Taconite win in game one ends the tournament.

Taconite roughs up Ely, reaches district finals

A revved-up Taconite team never let up on Ely Post 248 Friday night and advanced to Sunday's district title game with an 11-2 win over the host team.

Winning pitcher Alex Troumbly kept Ely (24-7) off balance while the Taconite offense pounced with two-run innings in the first, fourth and fifth frames, and put the game away with a five-run outburst in the sixth.

Taconite (19-8), which was the district runner-up last year, now needs just one more win to secure the district title while Ely needs to win three in a row to claim its third consecutive district crown.

Ely takes on either Carlton or Deer River at 7:30 Saturday night, with the winner advancing to Sunday's championship series.

Derek Bundy went four-for-four at the plate with two runs bated in to pace the Taconite offense, which was aided by four Ely errors. Josh Gross, Derek Fink and Riley Savalianen added two hits apiece for the winners.

Troumbly, meanwhile, held Ely to four hits in five and two-thirds innings before giving way to reliever David Zilbert.

Taconite finished with 13 hits against three Ely pitchers, with Wes Snyder tagged with the loss and both Trevor Bernsdorf and Will Gustafson working in relief.

Ely-Taconite showdown tonight, field down to five at Legion districts

Three teams have been eliminated today and one more will go before the end of the day, while one team will win a berth in the finals at the Eighth District Division II Legion Baseball Tournament in Ely.

The tournament's last two unbeaten teams - two-time defending champion Ely (24-6) and last year's runner-up Taconite (18-8) - square off at 7:30 p.m.  The winner moves on to Sunday's finals while the loser must play tomorrow in the elimination bracket.

In elimination games today:
• Esko 11, Brookston 9;
• Carlton 5, Moose Lake 4 (8);
• Deer River 9, Esko 6.

Carlton and Chisholm are underway now, with the loser out and the winner moving on to meet Deer River at 5 p.m. Saturday.

Helget pitches Ely past Chisholm

Ely recorded its second shutout in as many nights in the Eighth District Division II Legion baseball playoffs, as senior Greg Helget tossed a two-hitter in Wednesday's 3-0 winners bracket decision over Chisholm.

Helget never allowed a Chisholm runner past second base, and Post 248 (24-6) finally broke through against junkballer Randy Bandelow by pushing across three runs in the bottom of the sixth.

A walk to Helget and singles by Cody Bialik and Sean Fisher loaded the bases with no outs, and Trevor Bernsdorf broke the deadlock when he was hit by a pitch, bringing home courtesy runner Bobby Shusta. A sacrifice fly by Nick Mathews and a run-scoring groundout by Louie Gerzin gave Ely added insurance.

Helget didn't need it, as he retired the side in order in the seventh to preserve his fifth win of the summer. The righthander fanned five batters and walked only three.

Ely managed just four hits and struck out four times against Bandelow.

With the win, Ely moves on to a Friday night matchup against Taconite (18-8) in a meeting of the tournament's last two unbeaten teams. Taconite scored three runs in the top of the seventh to beat Deer River 7-5 in Wednesday's first game.

Snyder fans 16, blanks Brookston to open playoffs

Wes Snyder sent Ely into the winners' bracket of the Eighth District Division II Legion Baseball Playoffs with perhaps his most dominant effort yet on the mound.

The senior left-hander struck out a career-high 16 batters, took a no-hitter into the seventh and finished with a one-hitter as Post 248 blanked Brookston 6-0 before a Veterans Night crowd at Veterans Memorial Field.

Ely (23-6) broke open a scoreless game with four runs in the bottom of the fourth, and Snyder was never tested by the eighth-seeded visitors.

Snyder retired the first 11 batters he faced and pitched to just 24 hitters in the contest, closing the game with back-to-back strikeouts.

Losing pitcher Bryce Karppinen was equally brilliant early on, but Post 248 got to the college freshman in the fourth, with Jory Johnson and Cody Bialik drawing bases-loaded walks and Sean Fisher lining a two-run single to center.

Ely, which moves on to meet Chisholm Wednesday, added two more runs in the fifth on three walks and a run-scoring hit by Louie Gerzin.

Nick Mathews scored twice for the winners, who managed just five hits against Karppinen.

In other first round games:
• Deer River 4, Moose Lake 0;
• Taconite 3, Carlton 0;
• Chisholm 9, Esko 3.

The stage is now set for Wednesday's winners bracket games, with Deer River and Taconite squaring off at 5 p.m., and Ely taking on Chisholm at 7:30. It's Pack the Park night at the ballpark, with all tickets $2, and concession stand specials including 2 hot dogs for $2, $2 burgers and $2 root beer floats.

Veterans Night in Ely kicks off Legion district tourney

The Eighth District Division II American Legion Baseball Tournament starts with four games tonight, including two in Ely that's part of a salute to veterans.

Veterans Night at the ballpark includes a two-game session, starting with number-four seed Chisholm against number-five Esko at 5 p.m., with host and top seed Ely taking on eighth-seeded Brookston at 7:30 p.m.

In between, at approximately 7:20 p.m., all veterans will be invited on to the field for a special ceremony. Veterans and active military personnel are admitted free tonight and will receive a hot dog and beverage.

Two games are also set for Cohasset, with number-three seed Taconite against number-six Carlton at 5 p.m.,  and second-seeded Deer River meeting number-seven Moose Lake at 7:30. The tournament continues with winners' bracket action Wednesday in Ely, and the event resumes Friday and runs through Sunday.

VFW rallies in seventh, beats I-Falls to win North Subdistrict title

A seventh-inning rally gave Ely's VFW baseball team a subdistrict championship and a top seed for next weekend's district playoffs.

Trailing 4-2 going into the 7th, Post 2717 erupted for six runs and knocked off International Falls 8-4 at Veterans Memorial Field.

Ely (24-5) will be seeded first out of the north when the Eighth District Tournament gets underway next Saturday in Duluth.

An infield single by Riley Bernsdorf and a double by Louie Gerzin started Ely's Sunday night comeback, and the rally continued against I-Falls ace Ben Humbert, who came on in relief.  Will Gustafson's single to right was the key blow, and Ely scored one run on a wild pitch and another when a third strike got away from the catcher. Jeff Willis added a run-scoring hit to help cap off the comeback.

Bernsdorf went the distance to get the win, as Ely finished off a 3-0 weekend in subdistrict play.

Ely, International  Falls, Eveleth and Grand Rapids will all represent the north in the district tournament, an eight-team event that runs from July 27-30.

VFW wins twice in Subdistricts, plays Sunday for top seed

A pair of wins on Saturday got Ely's VFW baseball team into next weekend's district playoffs, and one more win will earn Post 2717 a number-one seed.

Ely rode the pitching of Max Gantt and Louie Gerzin to easy wins over Deer River and Grand Rapids in the North Subdistrict Tournament at Veterans Memorial Field.

Gantt was on the hill in the opener as Ely erupted for nine fifth-inning runs in a 10-0, six-inning decision over Deer River. Ely later beat Grand Rapids 11-1 in six, with Gerzin earning the victory.

Ely (23-5) takes on International Falls (23-3) at 7 p.m. Sunday, with the winner gaining the top seed out of the north for the Eighth District Tournament, which starts July 28 at Duluth and Hermantown.

International Falls beat Virginia 10-0 and Eveleth 15-5 to move on.

Sunday's games at Ely include two contests with district berths on the line. Eveleth faces Chisholm at 11:30 a.m. while Grand Rapids and Hibbing square off at 2 p.m.  Both winners advance to districts while the losers are done for the year.

Snyder, Ely blank Virginia

Behind the pitching of Wes Snyder, Ely's American Legion baseball team closed out the regular season with an easy win over Virginia.

Avenging a loss from five days, earlier Post 248 scored a 10-0, six-inning triumph as Snyder fired a one-hitter with 12 strikeouts.

The senior lefty took a no-hitter into the sixth, when Jeremy Paschke singled to center to break up the gem.

Ely (22-6) scored three times in the bottom of the first and pulled away with four runs in the fourth.

Trevor Bernsdorf went two-for-two, scored three times and drove in a run while both Louie Gerzin and Sean Fisher finished with two hits and two runs batted in.

Post 248 is off until Tuesday, when it opens play in the Eighth District Division II Playoffs at Veterans Memorial Field. Ely will take on either Brookston or Cook County in the Veterans Night matchup, set for 7:30 p.m.

Ely secures #1 seed, blanks Carlton

Jory Johnson tossed a three-hit shutout and Ely's American Legion baseball team wrapped up the Eighth District Division II regular season title in Thursday's 9-0 win over Carlton.

The senior lefthander never allowed a Carlton runner to reach third base while winning his second straight start.

Ely, now 20-6, got all the runs Johnson would need in the first, when hits by Trevor and Riley Bernsdorf helped create a 3-0 lead. The hosts would add four more runs in the second and two more in the third.

Both Bernsdorfs finished with two hits and three runs batted in. Pat Huisman and Sean Fisher scored two runs apiece for Ely, which hosts Virginia at 7:30 p.m. in Friday's regular season finale.

The district playoffs start July 24 in Ely.

VFW Playoffs start Saturday in Ely

The North Subdistrict VFW Baseball Playoffs get underway Saturday in Ely and Soudan and host Ely is one of two top seeds for the eight-team, double-elimination event.

Post 2717, which finished the regular season 21-5, takes on Deer River at 12:30 p.m. Saturday in one of four first-round games. The other top seed is Internatonal Falls (21-3), which swept Ely earlier this week.

The top-four finishers move on to the district tournament, set for July 28, 30 and 31 at Hermantown and Duluth.


2012 VFW Baseball North Subdistrict Tournament

Saturday July 21        Teams                                              Site
Game 1        10:00        Int. Falls vs. Virg. or Mes. East    Ely
Game 2        11:00        Eveleth  vs. Hibbing                     Soudan
Game 3        12:30        Ely vs. Deer River                        Ely
Game 4          1:30        Grand Rapids vs Chisholm           Soudan
Game 5         3:00        Winner 1 vs. Winner 2                   Ely
Game 6         4:00        Loser 1 vs. Loser 2 **                   Soudan
Game 7         5:30        Loser 3 vs. Loser 4**                    Ely
Game 8         8:00        Winner 3 vs. Winner 4                   Ely

Sunday July 22
Game 9       11:30        Winner 7 vs. Loser 5 **                 Ely
Game 10        2:00        Winner 6 vs. Loser 8**                 Ely

Game 11        4:30        Winner 9 vs. Winner 10                Ely
                    Winner 11 - advances as North 3
                    Loser 11 - advances as North 4

Game 12        7:00        Winner 5 vs. Winner 8                 Ely
                    Winner 12 - advances as North 1
                    Loser 12 - advances as North 2

Taconite rallies to beat Ely 6-4

Ely's American Legion baseball team will have to wait at least one more night to clinch the top seed for the upcoming district playoffs.

A 4-0 lead went by the wayside on Wednesday, and Taconite rallied for a 6-4 decision that spoiled Post 248's chance to wrap up the Eighth District Division II regular season title.

Back-to-back three-run innings did Ely in, as the hosts scored three unearned runs in the third and took the lead the following inning on Alex Troumbly's two-run double. That was enough for winning pitcher Jordan Peratalo, who mowed down 12 straight batters before Ely got two hits and stranded a pair of runners in the seventh.

Riley Bernsdorf went three-for-four at the plate for Ely while his brother Trevor added two hits. Cody Bialik also finished with two hits while Louie Gerzin had a double and two runs batted in.

Will Gustafson was tagged with the pitching loss, working four innings before giving way to Trevor Bernsdorf, who tossed two innings of scoreless, hitless relief.

Ely (19-6) hosts Carlton at 6 p.m. Thursday and can secure the regular season title and the top playoff seed with a victory.

Ely beats Deer River, inches closer to top seed

A key road win on Tuesday night moved Ely's American Legion baseball team a step closer to the top seed in next week's district playoffs.

Louie Gerzin went three-for-three with four runs scored and Greg Helget tossed a complete-game eight-hitter as Ely won 9-5 at Deer River.

The win snapped a two-game losing streak and Ely improved to 19-5 overall, and 12-1 in Eighth District games. Just one more win in the final three regular season games will give Post 248 the number-one seed for the district tournament, which starts July 24 at Ely.

Ely scored in five of seven innings and chased Deer River ace lefty Eythan Stangland after three frames.

Leading 3-1, Post 248 put the game away with a four-run fifth inning, wiht Nick Mathews lacin ga run-scoring double and Jory Johnson adding a two-run single.

Wes Snyder finished with two hits, including a triple, and had two runs batted in.

Helget, meanwhile, picked up his fourth win of the summer while going the distance. He allowed three runs, just one earned, through six innings before Deer River (14-6) nicked him for two more in the seventh.

Ely can clinch the Eighth District regular season title outright with a win Wednesday at Marble, against Taconite. Home games with Carlton and Chisholm follow Thursday and Friday.

Veterans Night, then Pack the Park Night to kick off Legion Districts in Ely

Two special events will mark the start of the Eighth District Division II Legion Baseball Playoffs in Ely next week.

First, on Tuesday July 24, is Veterans Night. For the two-game session that starts at 5 p.m. and includes host Ely in action at 7:30, all veterans and active military personnel will be admitted free of charge, and receive a free hot dog and beverage from the concession stand.  Ely's 9-and-10-year old Little League All-Stars will also be recognized.

The tournament continues Wednesday July 25 with Pack the Park Night at Veterans Memorial Field. For another two-game session, starting at 5 and with Ely playing at 7:30, all tickets will be $2, and the concession stand will offer hot dogs at 2 for $2, $2 root beer floats, and $2.50 burgers.  The Little League's 11-and-12 year old all-stars will be introduced during Ely's game as well.

It's all part of an effort to lure more local fans to the ballpark during the eight-team, double-elimination district tournament, which starts with two-game sessions July 24 and 25 and continues with four games in Ely Friday July 27, two games on Saturday July 28 and the championship game on Sunday July 29.

Ely (18-5) is the two-time defending district champion and has won 10 district crowns in the last 15 years.

Defensive miscues cost Ely in Sir G's finale

Virginia took advantage of four Ely errors and scored six unearned runs to post an 8-4 win Sunday afternoon in the final game of the Sir G's Midsummer Classic.

Winning pitcher Jeremy Paschke and Patrick Anderson combined on a seven-hitter and the visitors took control of the game with a four-run fourth inning. An infield hit and back-to-back errors in the infield set the table, and Paschke delivered the key blow: a two-run triple to left-center.

Ely (18-5) closed the gap to 6-4 in the fifth on Louie Gerzin's run-scoring single, but Virginia (7-8) countered with two in the sixth, with the aid of one Ely error, against losing pitcher Riley Bernsdorf.

Paschke had two hits and three RBI for the winners, who went 3-1 in the tournament and took third out of nine teams.

Gerzin, Cody Bialik and Trevor Bernsdorf all had two hits for Ely, which returns to action Tuesday night with a key Eighth District clash at Deer River.

Deer River claimed second place in the tournament with a 7-6 win over Cloquet, while the tournament championship went to Viroqua (Wis.), which erased a 3-0 deficit in the seventh and beat St. Paul Arcade-Phalen earlier in the day.

In other Sir G's Classic games on Sunday:
• Hermantown 12, Deer River 0
• Virginia 13, Kenyon 3.

Viroqua rallies, finishes Sir G's tourney sweep

Wisconsin powerhouse Viroqua claimed the inside track toward a first-place finish in the Sir G's Midsummer Classic with an extra-inning win on Sunday morning.

Trailing 3-0 after six innings, Viroqua tied the game in the seventh and pushed across three runs in the top of the ninth to claim a 6-3 win over St. Paul Arcade-Phalen in Sunday's opening game.

Viroqua finished the tournament with a 4-0 record and is now 29-15 overall. Deer River (2-0) was the only other tournament team without a loss entering play on Sunday.

The rest of the Sunday lineup includes:
10:30 AM (at Soudan) - Deer River vs. Hermantown
12 noon (at Ely) - Kenyon vs. Virginia
2:30 PM (at Ely) - Cloquet vs. Deer River
5:00 PM (at Ely) - Ely vs. Virginia

Viroqua outlasts Ely, takes control of Sir G's Classic

Viroqua pitcher Mitch Stalsberg danced with disaster Saturday night but escaped with a win.

Behind 15 strikeouts from its ace lefty, the Wisconsin powerhouse edged Ely 8-6 in a matchup of Sir G's Midsummer Classic unbeatens.

The junior-to-be allowed only five Ely hits, but he issued nine walks and left the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh, when the hosts mounted a late rally.

Ely fell to 18-4 on the season and 2-1 in the nine-team tournament, while Viroqua won its third straight Sir G's matchup and is now 28-15.

Trevor Bernsdorf was tagged with the pitching loss for Ely while Will Gustafson tossed two scoreless innings of relief. Nick Mathews had a two-run double for Post 248, which closes out tournament play today against Virginia, starting at 5 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Field.

Walkoff winner: Mathews' homer beats Duluth Lakeview in 8

Nick Mathews picked the perfect time for his first home run of the season.

The senior second baseman's two-run blast over the centerfield fence in the bottom of the eighth gave Ely a dramatic 9-8 victory over defending champion Duluth Lakeview Saturday afternooon in the Sir G's Midsummer Classic.

A see saw battle that included three ties and five lead changes finally tilted the way of Post 248 at the very end. Mathews' bomb off of reliever Doug Lewis gave the hosts a 2-0 record in the nine-team tournament, an 18-3 mark on the season and extended the club's winning streak to a season-high nine games.

The contest also featured three home runs by the winners. Trevor Bernsdorf's solo shot in the first gave Ely a 1-0 lead and Wes Snyder tied the contest at six in the bottom of the sixth with a towering shot to center.

After Lakeview grabbed a 7-6 lead in the top of the seventh, Ely tied it with Greg Helget's two-out single, which plated Jory Johnson.

Lakeview scored once in the eighth on a Noah Tapper single, but that set the stage for the bottom half of the frame. Sean Fisher worked a walk to lead off the inning, and Mathews came up with his home run after Lews retired both Trevor and Riley Bernsdorf.

Mathews finished three-for-five at the plate, Trevor Bernsdorf had two hits and two runs batted in, and Fisher scored three runs.

Snyder went the distance and struck out a season-high 15 batters to get the pitching win. He scattered 11 hits, including three by Lakeview's Justin Smith.

Ely continues play tonight against Viroqua (Wis.), at 7:30 p.m.

In other Sir G's Classic action today:
• Viroqua 5, Hermantown 1;
• Cloquet 9, St. Paul Arcade-Phalen 5.

Ely rallies for Sir G's win

The late innings belonged to Ely Post 248 Friday night, and the result was an opening round victory in the Sir G's Midsummer Classic.

Ely scored twice in the sixth to tie the game, then got a game-winning single from Nick Mathews in the bottom of the seventh to beat St. Paul Arcade-Phalen 4-3 at Veterans Memorial Field.

Mathews' liner to right plated Riley Bernsdorf, who opened the bottom of the seventh with a double to the left-center gap, and Ely won its eighth straight contest and improved to 17-3 on the season.

Senior Greg Helget went the distance on the mound and finished with a complete-game four-hitter with five strikeouts. He allowed just one earned run.

Trailing 3-1 entering the sixth, Post 248 tied the game when four straight batters reached base. Louie Gerzin scored on a wild pitch to cut the gap to 3-2, while Cody Bialik's safety squeeze bunt plated Wes Snyder.

Both Helget and Snyder finished with two hits for Ely, which takes on Duluth Lakeview at noon Saturday.

Viroqua (Wis.) beat Lakeview 3-1 earlier Friday night, and Ely's win capped a 13-hour day at the ballpark that included five games and a nearly hour-long rain delay.

Virginia, Deer River early winners in Sir G's Classic

A mid-afternoon thunderstorm caused a nearly one-hour delay, but action has resumed in the Sir G's Midsummer Classic and three games have been completed.

Virginia edged Hermantown 4-3 while Duluth Lakeview and Cloquet played to a 5-5, nine-inning tie in early games at Veterans Memorial Field.  After brief but heavy rains, Deer River and Kenyon resumed play and Deer River pulled out a 9-5 win.

The Lakeview-Viroqua (Wis.) game started at 6:40 pm, with Ely and St. Paul Arcade-Phalen slated for a 9:10 pm start.

Friday's matchup between Hermantown and Deer River at Soudan was postponed and will be played at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, at Soudan.

Schedule revised for Sir G's Classic

The Sir G's Midsummer Classic gets underway Friday but with one big change: only nine teams will participate instead of 10.

West Duluth pulled out of the event late Tuesday, forcing several adjustments to the schedule. The two-division format with five teams in each division had to be scrapped, in favor of a nine-team, modified round-robin tournament in which all teams will play four games.

The new schedule is as follows:

Friday         at Ely                                   
10:00 a.m.    Hermantown vs. Virginia               
12:30 p.m.    Cloquet vs. Duluth Lakeview           
3:00 p.m.        Kenyon vs. Deer River               
5:30 p.m.        Viroqua vs. Duluth Lakeview           
8:00 p.m.        Ely vs. Arcade-Phalen   
           
Friday        at Soudan
6:00            Hermantown vs. Deer River

Saturday         at Ely                                               
9:30 a.m        Cloquet vs. Arcade-Phalen        
12 noon         Ely vs. Lakeview                      
 2:30 p.m.        Virginia vs. Deer River           
 5:00 p.m.        Kenyon vs. Hermantown                  
  7:30 p.m.      Ely vs. Viroqua               

Saturday        at Soudan   
 11:00 a.m.    Hermantown vs. Viroqua           
  1:30 p.m.    Kenyon vs. Cloquet           
  4:00 p.m.    Lakeview vs. Arcade-Phalen       

Sunday        at Ely                   
9:30 a.m.        Arcade-Phalen vs. Viroqua           
12 noon        Virginia vs. Kenyon           
2:30 p.m.        Cloquet vs. Deer River           
5:00 p.m.        Ely vs. Virginia               

Tournament champion will be determined by best overall record.

In case of tie, the following tiebreaker will be used:
1. Head-to-head; 2. Least runs allowed; 3. Most runs scored; 4. Coin flip

Ely cruises in Carlton

A 10-run explosion in the top of the third inning sent Ely's American Legion baseball team on to its seventh straight win, an easy 14-0, five-inning decision Wednesday night at Carlton.

Trevor Bernsdorf's bases-clearing double was the highlight as Ely sent 15 batters to the plate in the third. Greg Helget added a two-run single during the frame.

Meanwhile, Bradley Roy recorded his first Legion pitching win and held the hosts to just two hits in four innings. The junior-to-be picked up six strikeouts and Trevor Bernsdorf came on for a scoreless, hitless fifth.

Riley Bernsdorf went three-for-four for Ely (16-3), which improved to 11-1 in Eighth District Division II contests. Jory Johnson singled twice while Helget went two-for-three.

After an off day on Thursday, Ely returns to action Friday night when it takes on St. Paul Arcade-Phalen at 8 p.m. in the opening round of the Sir G's Midsummer Classic.

Ely surges past Taconite

After spotting Taconite a 3-1 lead, Ely scored seven unaswered runs Tuesday night and rode the pitching of Wes Snyder to an 8-3 Eighth District win at Veterans Memorial Field.

Snyder gave up three runs in the first three frames but settled in after that, finishing with a four-hitter and a season-high 12 strikeouts as Post 248 improved to 15-3 overall and 10-1 in district games.

Nick Mathews' run-scoring double, the first of his three hits, tied the game at three in the bottom of the third while Greg Helget delivered a fourth-inning double that plated Snyder and put the hosts in front to stay.

Louie Gerzin knocked in runs in both the fifth and sixth frames and Snyder added a two-run double in the sixth for good measure.

Earlier Tuesday, Gerzin blanked Eveleth on four hits as Ely won 1-0 in VFW action. Gerzin, a junior-to-be, recorded 11 strikeouts as Post 2717 inched closer to a number-one seed for the upcoming North Subdistrict Playoffs.

Fisher, Snyder homer in Ely sweep

Ely's American Legion baseball team ran its winning streak to five games Monday night, easily disposing of a young Cook County team in a pair of contests shortened by the 10-run rule.

Seniors Sean Fisher and Wes Snyder both hit three-run homers as Post 248 cruised to a 15-5, six-inning, opening-game win at Veterans Memorial Field. Jory Johnson held Cook County to two hits in the nightcap in an 11-1, five-inning Ely rout.

Ely (14-3) ran its Eighth District record to a league-leading 9-1 with the sweep.

Fisher's first career Legion homer helped put the game out of reach and Snyder's blast came during a five-run fifth inning. Trevor Bernsdorf had three hits and drove in two runs in the opener while Cody Bialik had a pair of bunt singles.

That helped winning pitcher Jared Poderzay, who overcame seven walks to pick up his third win of the summer.

Johnson notched his first win while dominating the second game, recording nine strikeouts.  Riley Bernsdorf drove in three runs while Johnson had two hits and two runs batted in.

Ely is back in action at 7 p.m. Tuesday when it hosts Taconite, capping off a tripleheader at Veterans Memorial Field that starts with an Eveleth-Ely VFW twinbill at 3 p.m.

Ely takes care of Chisholm in five

A six-run outburst in the top of the second sent Ely Post 248 on its way on Thursday night. The American Legion baseball team won 11-1 at Chisholm, in five innings, to improve to 12-3 for the season.

Already leading 3-0 after one frame, Ely put the Eighth District Division II contest away by sending 10 batters to the plate in the top of the second, scoring six times with the aid of four walks and two errors.

That was more than enough cushion for winning pitcher Greg Helget, who tossed four innings of two-hit ball, with Wes Snyder coming on for a scoreless fifth.

At the plate, Riley Bernsdorf went two-for-three with three runs batted in while Nick Mathews had a run-scoring double and a sacrifice fly. Both Sean Fisher and Trevor Bernsdorf scored three runs.

Earlier, Ely's VFW baseball team opened the doubleheader with a 12-6 win over Chisholm. Louie Gerzin had three hits, Riley Bernsdorf scored four runs and Pat Huisman had two hits and two RBI. Bradley Roy picked up the pitching win as the VFW improved to 13-1.

Lineup, schedule set for Sir G's Midsummer Classic

One of the premiere American Legion baseball tournaments in Minnesota gets underway in just over a week in Ely: the 2012 Sir G's Midsummer Classic slated for July 13-15.

A loaded field includes a Sir G's-record 10 teams, split between two five-team divisions. Defending champion Duluth Lakeview will face stiff competition in its bid to repeat, facing host Ely (11-3), Wisconsin Division II powerhouse Viroqua (Wis.), Cloquet and Roseville East in the Red Divison.

On the other side of the draw in the Blue Division are Kenyon,  Hermantown, West Duluth, Virginia and Deer River. The teams will play 20 games over three days, including 14 at Ely's historic Veterans Memorial Field.


2012 Sir G’s Pizza Legion Midsummer Classic

Friday July 13, Saturday July 14, Sunday July 15
at Ely and Soudan

Red Division                Blue Division
Ely                                      Virginia
Duluth Lakeview                West Duluth
Cloquet                               Hermantown
Viroqua (Wis.)                    Kenyon
Roseville East                    Deer River

Friday         at Ely                                      
10:00 a.m.    Hermantown vs. Virginia               
12:30 p.m.    Cloquet vs. Duluth Lakeview              
3:00 p.m.        Kenyon vs. Deer River               
5:30 p.m.        Viroqua vs. Duluth Lakeview          
8:00 p.m.        Ely vs. Roseville East  
       
Friday        at Soudan
3:30        Hermantown vs. West Duluth           
6:00        West Duluth vs. Deer River   
      
Saturday         at Ely                                               
9:30 a.m          Cloquet vs. Roseville East
12 noon           Ely vs. Lakeview                      
 2:30 p.m.        Virgnia vs. West Duluth            
 5:00 p.m.        Kenyon vs. Hermantown                  
  7:30 p.m.       Ely vs. Viroqua               

Saturday        at Soudan
10:30 a.m.    Kenyon vs. Virginia            
  1:00 p.m.    Deer River vs. Hermantown      
  3:30 p.m.    Viroqua vs. Cloquet           
  6:00 p.m.    Lakeview vs. Roseville East     

Sunday        at Ely                   
9:30 a.m.        Roseville East vs. Viroqua           
12 noon        West Duluth vs. Kenyon           
2:30 p.m.        Virginia vs. Deer River
5:00 p.m.        Ely vs. Cloquet

Division champions will be determined by best overall record.

In case of tie, the following tiebreaker will be used:
1. Head-to-head; 2. Least runs allowed; 3. Most runs scored; 4. Coin flip

Ely blanks Moose Lake twice; Bernsdorf homers

Back-to-back shutouts by Jared Poderzay and Will Gustafson and Riley Bernsdorf's three-run home run were the highlights Monday night as Ely's American Legion baseball team won twice in easy fashion.

Post 248 improved to 11-3 on the summer with a 19-0, 10-0 sweep of overmatched Moose Lake. Both games ended in five innings.

In the opener, Ely erupted for seven runs in the bottom of the third and plated nine more runs in the fourth. Ely had 13 hits, by 12 different players. Trevor Bernsdorf went two-for-four with two runs scored, while Jory Johnson scored four times. Greg Helget drove in three runs.

Poderzay picked up his second pitching win while giving up three hits and recording three strikeouts.

Monday's second game belonged to Riley Bernsdorf, who had three hits in as many at bats, with a towering three-run homer to left in the bottom of the third. The sophomore-to-be finished with five runs batted in.

Gustafson improved to 3-0 on the mound and was in command, holding Moose Lake to three singles.

Ely is off until Thursday, when it visits Chisholm (6 p.m.).

Ely splits in Jordan, goes 3-2 on southern swing

A narrow victory and a walkoff defeat marked the Ely Legion baseball team''s final day of a three-day, five-game swing through southern Minnesota.

Riley Bernsdorf pitched Post 248 past Jordan 4-2 in the opening game of Saturday's split twinbill. In the nightcap, Ely rallied in the top of the seventh to take a one-run lead, only to surrender two runs in the bottom of the inning to fall 5-4 to Kenyon-Wanamingo. Both games were at Jordan's Mini-Met.

Ely (9-3) won three of five games on its southern swing and nearly had a fourth victory. Trevor Bernsdorf's two-out single put his team up 4-3 against K-W, but the home team rallied for two runs in the bottom of the inning. Alex Roosen's infield hit with two outs plated the winning run and gave his team some revenge for a state consolation game loss to Ely just two weeks earlier at the same field.

Wes Snyder was tagged with the pitching loss and gave up 10 hits with nine strikeouts. Both Nick Mathews and Riley Bernsdorf had two hits for Ely.

In the opener, Riley Bernsdorf tossed a complete-game five-hitter to notch his first career Legion win. The  sophomore-to-be recorded four strikeouts and had a run-scoring double at the plate. Trevor Bernsdorf had two hits for Ely while Jory Johnson singled and drove in a run.

Ely returns to action Monday (5 p.m.) with a home doubleheader with Moose Lake.

Post 248 pounds Chanhassen

Ely's American Legion baseball team had its hitting shoes on Friday night in Chanhassen, ripping 17 hits in a 12-7 win over Chanhassen Gold.

A six-run second inning staked Post 248 to a 9-1 lead, and Ely was on its way to its eighth win of the season.

Senior Nick Mathews went three-for-three with two doubles and four runs batted in, while Riley Bernsdorf added three hits and three runs batted in. At the top of the order, Cody Bialik and Sean Fisher set the table, with Fisher scoring three times and finishing with two bunt singles. Jory Johnson and Trevor Bernsdorf both added three hits apiece.

On the mound, Greg Helget battled control problems but still emerged with the win, getting relief help from both Fisher and Riley Bernsdorf. They combined to hold Chanhassen to five hits.

Ely closes out its five-game southern road swing with a split doubleheader Saturday in Jordan, meeting Jordan at 11 a.m. and taking on Kenyon at 1 p.m.

Ely splits in Bird Island

The Ely American Legion baseball team's southern swing started with a split Thursday night at Bird Island.

A four-run third inning gave host BOLD a 6-2 win in the opening game of the split doubleheader, but Post 248 came back in the nightcap behind the pitching of Will Gustafson to beat Sacred Heart 10-2.

Ely (7-2) failed to cash in early on against BOLD, stranding five runners in the first two frames and leaving the bases loaded in the sixth. Ely did manage two sixth-inning runs, with Wes Snyder getting a run-scoring hit and Jory Johnson drawing a bases-loaded walk. Riley Bernsdorf had two hits in the game.

Losing pitcher Trevor Bernsdorf gave up only four hits, but three were in the third when BOLD scored with the aid of two walks and an error.

In the second game, Ely capitalized on 12 walks issued by Sacred Heart pitchers. Gustafson, who went the distance and tossed a five-hitter, laid down a successful squeeze bunt in the fourth that put Ely ahead 3-2.

Post 248 cruised from there.

Ely is back in action Friday night at Chanhassen and finishes the five-game swing with two games Saturday in Jordan.

Southern swing begins

In a span of three days, Ely's American Legion baseball team will play five games and visit three of the state's nicest ballparks.

This year's southern swing kicks off Thursday night with a split  twinbill  at Bird Island's Lions Memorial Park. Ely will tangle with host BOLD, a 2012 high school state tournament participant, at 6 p.m. The 8 p.m. nightcap sends Ely against state Legion tournament host Sacred Heart.

One game is on the docket Friday night (6 p.m.) at Chanhassen, and Ely (6-1) winds up its road swing Saturday at Jordan's historic Mini-Met. Another split doubleheader is in store, with Ely meeting Jordan at 11 a.m. and Kenyon at 1 p.m.  Ely and Kenyon met just two weeks ago in Jordan in the high school baseball consolation semifinals, with Ely prevailing 5-4.

Snyder, Ely shut down Deer River

Ely's American Legion baseball team shook off a slow start and rode the pitching of Wes Snyder to a key district victory over Deer River Tuesday night at Veterans Memorial Field.

Snyder fired a three-hitter with nine strikeouts in Post 248’s 9-1 win.

Deer River got an unearned run in the top of the first and lefty Cody Willis blanked the hosts through three frames.

But everything changed in the bottom of the fourth, when Louie Gerzin's two-run single gave Ely the lead. An outfield error allowed Snyder to score all the way from first on the play to make it 3-1.

Ely got a tiring Willis in the fifth, sending 10 batters to the plate and scoring four more runs, on only two hits.

Cody Bialik went two-for-four for the winners, Nick Mathews had a hit, scored twice and knocked in two runs.

Ely, now 6-1, kicks off a five-game swing through southern Minnesota on Thursday, when it meets both BOLD (6 p.m.) and Sacred Heart (8 p.m.) at Bird Island.

Two wins and a first place trophy: Ely takes DQ Classic

In a matter of a few hours, Ely's American Legion baseball team picked up a league win, a home tournament victory and a first-place trophy.

Post 248 erased a 4-0 deficit and scored 14 unanswered runs to turn back Hibbing in five innings and clinch first place in the eight-team DQ Grill and Chill Classic at Veterans Memorial Field.

Earlier Sunday, in a game that did not count in the tournament standings, Ely erupted for 15 runs in the top of the seventh to beat Brookston 22-6 in an 8th District Division II contest.

By going 3-1 in the tournament, Ely won the DQ Classic title and the Blizzard Cup Trophy by way of a tiebreaker over Taconite and Foley.

After a slow start, Ely's bats caught fire. Will Gustafson's squeeze bunt broke a three-all deadlock and put Post 248 in front to stay against Brookston.  Brookston would cut a 7-3 Ely lead to one run heading into the seventh, but the hosts sent 20 batters to the plate, scored 15 times and had 10 hits in the final frame.

Riley Bernsdorf had a two-run single, Nick Mathews had a two-run double and Jory Johnson had a bases-clearing double for the winners.

Cody Bialik may have had Ely's best day of all, going three-for-four with four runs scored and three runs batted in against Brookston, and getting two more his against Hibbing.

Sean Fisher had three hits in the opening contest, while Bernsdorf went two-for-three with three runs scored and four RBI against Hibbing. Louie Gerzin had two hits and three RBI in the nightcap.

Gustafson worked four innings to get the win in the opener and got relief help from Bradley Roy and Max Gantt, while Jared Poderzay scattered seven hits and allowed two earned runs while picking up his first career Legion win.

Ely, now 5-1 overall, takes on Deer River at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Veterans Memorial Field.

In other DQ Classic action Sunday:
• Chisholm 20, Esko 3 (5);
• Foley 10, Minnetonka 8.

7th inning homer sinks Ely

Ryan Holte's two-run home run with one out in the top of the seventh handed Ely its first loss of the DQ Grill and Chill Classic and the 2012 season.

Holte's blast over the left field fence was the difference as Esko overcame a three-run deficit and topped Post 248 4-3 Saturday night at Veterans Memorial Field.

Ely wasted several scoring chances and stranded nine runners against Esko, and fell to 2-1 in the home tournament and 3-1 for the season.

Losing pitcher Greg Helget fanned 12 batters and gave up four hits - but three were by Holte. His homer in the seventh also plated winning pitcher Jared Mattson, who drew a leadoff walk in the seventh.

Riley Bernsdorf had two of Ely's four hits, and Helget had a two-run single in the bottom of the second. Trevor Bernsdorf added a sacrifice fly.

In other DQ Classic action late Saturday:
• Foley 12, Chisholm 4;
• Esko 9, Hibbing 5.

Ely has two games on Sunday, meeting Brookston again at 12:30 and Hibbing at 3 p.m.

Bernsdorf blanks Brookston in DQ Classic

Ely's Trevor Bernsdorf tossed his second shutout in as many starts Saturday as Post 248 blanked Brookston 3-0 in second round action in the DQ Grill and Chill Legion Classic.

The senior-to-be tossed a three-hitter and recorded eight strikeouts and prevailed in an abbreviated pitchers' duel with Brookston's Dan Wood.

Wood, who is bound for St. Scholastica, fired five shutout innings against the tournament hosts before leaving the game with a sore back.

Ely pounced against reliever Dan Lisic  in the bottom of the sixth, with Nick Mathews' single to left plating Bernsdorf and breaking the scoreless deadlock. Jory Johnson added a sacrifice fly and a third run scored on a throwing error.

Cody Bialik had two hits for the winners, who improved to 3-0 overall and 2-0 in the tournament. Ely takes on Esko under the lights tonight at 7:30 p.m.

In other DQ Classic action:
• Taconite 10, Minnetonka 7;
• Foley 4, Brookston 0;
• Taconite 5, Hibbing 2;
• Minnetonka 14, Chisholm 2 (5).

Saturday action underway in DQ Classic

Taconite surprised Minnetonka 10-7 in Ely while Foley led Brookston 2 -0 in the sixth inning at Soudan, as day two of the 25th annual DQ Grill and Chill Ely Legion Classic started on Saturday.

Host Ely is set to take on Brookston at 2:30 p.m. and Esko at 7:30, with both contests at Veterans Memorial Field.

Ely tops Foley, 4-2

A four-run second inning was enough for Ely Legion Post 248 as it edged Foley 4-2 in the opening round of the 25th annual DQ Grill and Chill Classic on Friday night at Veterans Memorial Field.

Senior lefthander Wes Snyder allowed three hits, only one which left the infield, and struck out 10 as Ely improved to 2-0 for the summer.

Post 248 got all four of its runs in the second inning, as Sean Fisher and Trevor Bernsdorf had run-scoring hits and Greg Helget added a sacrifice fly. A fourth run scored on an error. Sean Fisher went three-for-three for Ely, which takes on Brookston at 2:30 p.m. Saturday and Esko at 7:30 p.m.

DQ Grill and Chill Classic begins

The 25th annual DQ Grill and Chill Classic is underway at Ely's Veterans Memorial Field

In early action on Friday, Taconite outlasted Chisholm 10-8 while Brookston scored on a Bryce Karppinen hit in the bottom of the eighth to beat Esko 3-2.

Still to come:
5:30 pm - Hibbing vs. Minnetonka
8:00 pm - Foley vs. Ely

Eight more games are in store on Saturday, with five in Ely and three more at Soudan's Legion Field. The tournament wraps up with four games Sunday.

Revised '12 schedule released

After a series of changes because of the high school baseball team's state tournament trip, a condensed regular season for Ely's American Legion baseball squad is underway.

Post 248 opened with an 11-0 win Monday night at Esko and 28 regular season contests are scheduled between now and July 21. Included on the docket are two home tournaments, starting with this weekend's DQ Grill and Chill Classic along with the 10-team Sir G's  Midsummer Classic set for July 13-15. From June 28-30, Post 248 goes on a five-game swing to southern Minnesota including visits to beautiful ballparks in Bird Island, Chanhassen and Jordan.

Ely, last year's Division II state runner-up and two-time defending district champion, hosts the Eighth District playoffs July 24-29 at Veterans Memorial Field.

2012 Ely Legion Baseball Schedule

Date                               Opponent                Time   
Monday June 18            at Esko                              6 p.m.
Wednesday June 20       at Marble                           6 p.m.
Friday June 22               DQ Classic - Foley            8 p.m.   
Saturday June 23           DQ Classic - Brookston        2:30 p.m.
Saturday June 23           DQ Classic- Esko            7:30 p.m.
Sunday June 24             DQ Classic - Hibbing        3:30 p.m.

Tuesday June 26           Deer River                                7:30 p.m.
Thursday June 28        at BOLD (at Bird Island)           6 p.m.
Thursday June 28        Sacred Heart (at Bird Island)    8 p.m.
Friday June 29             at Chanhassen                          6 p.m.
Saturday June 30          at Jordan                                  11 a.m.
Saturday June 30          vs. Kenyon (at Jordan)             1 p.m.

Monday July 2            Moose Lake (2)            5:30 p.m.
Thursday July 5            at Chisholm                 6 p.m.

Monday July 9            Cook County (2)                        5 p.m.
Tuesday July 10            Marble                                     7 p.m.
Wednesday July 11        at Carlton                                 6 p.m.
Friday July 13            Sir G's Classic - Concordia Acad. 8 p.m.
Saturday July 14            Sir G's Classic- Dul. Lakeview   12 noon
Saturday July 14            Sir G's Classic- Viroqua, Wis.    7:30 p.m.
Sunday July 15            Sir G's Classic - Cloquet                 5 p.m.

Tuesday July 17            at Deer River                                  6 p.m.
Friday July 20            Virginia                                              5 p.m.
Friday July 20            Chisholm                                           7:30 p.m.
Saturday July 21            Carlton                                           1 p.m.

Tuesday July 24            District Tournament - Ely
Friday July 27            District Tournament - Ely
Saturday July 28            District Tournament - Ely
Sunday July 29            District Tournament - Ely

Friday August 3            State Tournament - Sacred Heart
Saturday August 4        State Tournament - Sacred Heart
Sunday August 5            State Tournament - Sacred Heart

Legion downs Esko in '12 debut

Better late than never, the 2012 Ely Legion Baseball season got underway Monday night in Esko as Post 248 scored an easy 11-0, six-inning win.

Delayed by over a week because of the state tournament appearance of Ely's high school baseball team, the Legion season picked up right where the high school Timberwolves left off as Ely cruised to victory. Trevor Bernsdorf tossed a three-hit shutout with seven strikeouts, while his brother Riley had two of Ely's five doubles.

Post 248 rapped out 12 hits, including five for extra bases. Nick Mathews had two hits including a double off the left field fence, while Trevor Bernsdorf, Louie Gerzin and Jory Johnson all added two hits.

Ely is set to visit Marble Wednesday night (6 p.m.) in an Eighth District Division II contest.

8th District Tournament to be held in Ely

Ely's Veterans Memorial Field will be the site of this summer's Eighth District Division II Legion Baseball Tournament.

The schedule was finalized at last weekend's district baseball meeting in Duluth.

Dates are set for Tuesday July 24 with opening round games, followed by a two-day break and the tournament resuming on Friday July 27 and continuing Saturday July 28.

The district championship game will take place Sunday July 29 at 1:30 p.m., with the winner moving on the state tournament the following week at Sacred Heart. Ely has won the district title the last two seasons and three of the last four years.