Saturday, June 30, 2012

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.

Friday, June 29, 2012

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.

Thursday, June 28, 2012

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.

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

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.

Sunday, June 24, 2012

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.

Saturday, June 23, 2012

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.

Friday, June 22, 2012

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.

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

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.