Saturday, July 25, 2015

Ely ousted from districts

Ely couldn't come up with a timely hit Friday and the result was two tough losses and an exit from the Eighth District Division II Playoffs.

Top-seeded Moose Lake slipped past Ely 3-2 in a winners' bracket contest at Cohasset, and the defeat sent Post 248 into the elimination round, where it fell 7-4 to Taconite in Deer River.

Ely's Will Gustafson and Moose Lake's Rex Janke hooked up in a pitchers' duel in the opener, and Ely jumped to an early lead with two runs in the top of the third.

Brody Skala's double to the fence set the table, and runs scored later in the frame on hits by Kyle Durbin and Gustafson.

Moose Lake answered right back in the bottom of the third and tied the score, and the deadlock was broken in the bottom of the fifth.

But Gustafson escaped a bases-loaded jam to keep it close, and Ely threatened in both the sixth and seventh frames.

Reliever Brad Fossum recorded the final four outs to get the save and Moose Lake (25-13) advanced into a winners' bracket meeting with Esko.

Gustafson scattered seven hits in the loss while both Skala and Andy Krunkkala had two hits for Ely.

In the nightcap, Ely jumped out to a 2-0 lead again and threatened to break the game open in the second when it loaded the bases with one out.  A line drive off the bat of  Gage Merhar was snared and resulted in a double play, turning momentum Taconite's way.

The middle innings belonged to Taconite, as it took a 3-2 lead in in the third and greeted reliever Kyle Durbin with two runs in the fifth.

It  was 7-2 before Ely staged a last-gasp rally in the seventh. Gustafson was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Elliot Omerza came up with a sacrifice fly to close the gap.  Ely brought the tying run to the plate but winning pitcher Mike Chapurdia escaped and got the final out.

Omerza was tagged with the pitching loss, and both Durbin and Tayler Banks worked in relief.  Merhar had two hits and scored twice for Ely.

Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Ely rallies, escapes with first round playoff win

It took both a late-inning rally and a late-inning escape for Ely to survive its opening round battle with Two Harbors Tuesday night in the Eighth District Division II playoffs.

After Ely scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth to take the lead, winning pitcher Patrick Huisman then wiggled out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the top of the sixth as Post 248 held on for a 4-3 victory at Portage Park in Cohasset.

Huisman's two-out single in the fifth proved to be the game-winning hit, but the junior righthander did his most impressive work on the mound, finishing with a six-hitter, eight strikeouts and giving up no earned runs.

Two walks and a misplayed bunt gave Two Harbors a prime opportunity in the top of the sixth before Huisman slammed the door, retiring the first three hitters in the opponents' lineup.

Huisman also gave up a leadoff single in the seventh, but settled in and closed out his eighth win of the year, notching a strikeout to end the contest.

The game was a seesaw affair, with Will Gustafson's double scoring Huisman all the way from first and putting Ely on top 1-0 in the opening frame.

Two Harbors scored an unearned run to tie the game in the top of the second, and Lucas Kempffer struck what seemed to be a pivotal blow in the top of the third, depositing a Huisman offering far over the left field fence for a two-run homer.

That seemed to be enough for pitcher Nate Bauck,who retired nine straight hitters before running into trouble in the fifth.

A Gage Merhar single started the rally and Brody Skala worked a walk to put two runners aboard.  Two Harbors misplayed an Andy Krunkkala bunt, loading the bases for Jeff Willis, who reached on a fielder's choice to cut the lead to one.  A throwing error tied the game, and Huisman clutched up for his second hit of the contest, a two-out single to center that put Ely in front to stay.

Both Huisman and Elliot Omerza had two hits for Ely, which managed six hits against Bauck.

Ely advances to play top-seeded Moose Lake, which had a scare of its own but scored in the bottom of the seventh to beat number-eight Brookston 7-6.  In other first-round action, Esko held off  Deer River 8-7 and International Falls downed Taconite 6-3.

Friday, July 17, 2015

Ely pummels Brookston in regular season finale

It took a couple of innings for Ely's bats to warm up Friday night, but they sizzled the rest of the way in 10-3 home victory over Brookston.

Jeff Willis and Tayler Banks had four hits each and Will Gustafson added three as Post 248 moved into a three-way tie for second place in the Eighth District Division II standings and won for the ninth time in 12 outings.

The hitting barrage, and a strong outing on the mound from junior Patrick Huisman, gave Ely a solid win in its regular season finale.

Huisman didn't yield an earned run and fired a three-hitter with 10 strikeouts en route to his seventh win of the summer.

Gage Merhar's sacrifice fly and Gustafson's run-scoring hit put Ely on top 2-1 in the bottom of the third, and after Brookston scratched out an unearned run to tie the game, the hosts regained the edge when a Willis single plated Banks.

Ely put the contest away with a five-run fifth, with Gustafson's double starting the rally and Banks, Willis and Huisman all notching run-scoring hits.

Post 248 had 16 hits on the night, with Banks going four-for-four with two runs batted in, and Willis coming up with a four-for-five performance to raise his batting average to a team-high .389.

Gustafson added three hits in his final home game in an Ely uniform, and the six-year member of Ely's Legion team was announced as this year's winner of the Mark Hernesmaa/David Chelesnik Jr. Memorial Award.

Huisman reached double digits in strikeouts for the third time this summer and largely dominated against Brookston, which is made up of players largely from Section 7A high school runner-up South Ridge.

The Ely win sets up a chance drawing for the two, three and four seeds in the upcoming Division II Eighth District Playoffs. Ely is tied with Esko and International Falls for second, trailing number-one Moose Lake.  Final seeding for the tournament will be determined Sunday and Ely's first postseason tilt is slated for Tuesday, either at Deer River or Cohasset.

The victory came on a festive night at Veterans Memorial Field,when local veterans were honored prior to the game and representatives of Minnesota Power - CEO Al Hodnik and strategic accounts manager Mike Perala - threw out ceremonial first pitches.  Minnesota Power was recognized for its $30,000 contribution that led to the purchase and installation of the brand-new scoreboard at the ballpark.

Earlier Friday, Virginia scored nine runs in the last two innings and ran away with a 13-1 win over Ely.  Winning pitcher Levy Paskett was four-for-five and recorded eight strikeouts, and Kyle Maki added four hits as well.

Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Gustafson, Ely blank Deer River

Will Gustafson's return to the pitching mound proved to be a masterpiece, and Ely kept its hopes for a high playoff seed alive Wednesday night with a 3-0 home win over Deer River.

Gustafson, making his first start in more than two weeks after missing time because of an arm injury, didn't allow a Deer River runner past second base and finished with a complete-game three-hitter. He fanned seven Deer River batters.

Ely, which has won eight of its last 10 contests, got all the runs Gustafson would need in the bottom of the second, when both Jeff Willis and Patrick Huisman ripped run-scoring doubles.

Losing pitcher Chad Benham kept Ely largely at bay the rest of the night, although Post 248 scratched out an insurance run in the sixth, when Huisman walked and eventualy scored on an Elliot Omerza groundout.

Both Omerza and Krunkkala finished with two hits, but Gustafson's gem was the story of the evening.

The college freshman walked just two batters and was backed by an Ely defense that made only one error.

Ely, which can  yet climb as high as second place in the Eighth District Division II standings, closes the regular season Friday with a split doubleheader against Virginia (5 p.m.) and Brookston (7:30 p.m.)

Friday is Veterans' Night at Veterans Memorial Field, with all vets admitted receiving a free hot dog and beverage, and invited out on to the field for a brief pregame ceremony before the contest with Brookston.

Tuesday, July 14, 2015

I-Falls scores early, holds on to beat Ely

A rough first inning set the tone Tuesday night for Ely's American Legion baseball team.

Without giving up a hit, Post 248 allowed four first inning runs and host International Falls went on to a 10-6 victory.

Starting pitcher Patrick Huisman walked five batters and beaned two more in the top of the first, and International Falls eventually built an 8-2 lead.

The Broncos needed that cushion, as Ely scored four times in the top of the sixth and put two more runners aboard before winning pitcher Cole Miggins escaped.

Two more runs by the hosts in the bottom of the sixth added insurance, and Ely loaded the bases in the top of the seventh and had the tying runner at the plate.  Jake Eide, the third International Falls pitcher, got Jeff Willis to line out to end both the game and the threat.

Hits in the game were even at nine apiece, and Willis, Huisman and Kyle Durbin had two each for Ely.  Elliot Omerza worked five and one-third innings in relief of Huisman.

Ely returns to action Wednesday night, taking on Deer River at 7:30 p.m. in the second game of a VFW-Legion doubleheader at Veterans Memorial Field.

Saturday, July 11, 2015

Durbin pitches Ely to Saturday Sir G's sweep

Kyle Durbin kept Taconite's bats in check and got plenty of support from a sound defense and an opportunistic offense as Ely scored a 9-1, six-inning victory and completed a Saturday sweep in the Sir G's Midsummer Classic.

The junior righthander tossed a four-hitter and walked only one batter as Ely kept its championship hopes alive in the 10-team tournament.

With a win against Duluth Lakeview in Sunday's 1:30 p.m. tilt, Ely will reach the finals, set to begin immediately afterward at 3:45.  Stephen-Argyle, Proctor and Virginia all remain in contention for a title game berth in the opposite five-team pool.

While Durbin kept Taconite off balance, Ely jumped to a 4-0 lead with three runs in the bottom of the third inning. Andy Krunkkala's two-run double was the key blow.

Taconite plated a run in the fourth but Cole Kellogg's diving catch in left field snuffed out a sixth-inning threat by the West Range visitors.

Ely put the game away with five runs in the bottom of the frame, with Patrick Huisman lining a two-run single to fuel the rally.

Huisman finished with three hits for the winners, while Jeff Willis went three-for-four and added his third consecutive three-hit game of the tournament.  Will Gustafson added two hits for the winners.

In other Sir G's action Saturday:
• Duluth Lakeview held off Chatfield  7-6;
• Proctor outscored Cloquet 16-13;
• Virginia outlasted Stephen-Argyle 7-4 in nine innings.



Ely bounces back with Sir G's win

Ely's American Legion baseball team broke out of a mini-hitting slump and rapped out 16 hits in a 15-7 win over Hermantown Saturday afternoon.

Gage Merhar had three hits and three runs batted in, leadoff man Jeff Willis added three hits and scored three times, and Ben Gantt had two hits and three runs batted in as Post 248 bounced back and evened its record at 1-1 in the 10-team Sir G's Midsummer Classic.

The offense provided plenty of cushion for winning pitcher Patrick Huisman, who scattered nine hits, struck out six and was aided by two double-play balls.

A four-run fourth inning, capped by Merhar's two-run single gave Ely a 10-2 lead, but Hermantown responded with five of its own in the top of the fifth.

Ely put the game away with five runs over the next two frames, finishing the game on a walk-off, hit-by-pitch with Gantt at the plate

Hitting in the number-nine slot, Gantt reached base four times while backup first baseman Brendan Hill came off the bench to add two hits.

Ely is back in action tonight at 7:45 p.m., taking on Taconite.  Miss Ely Morgan Housey is scheduled to throw out the ceremonial first pitch.

In other Sir G's action:
• Stephen-Argyle improved to 2-0 in the tournament by beating Cloquet 10-3.
• Proctor evened its tournament record at 1-1 with an 10-2 triumph over Virginia.

Friday, July 10, 2015

Chatfield ends Ely win streak in Sir G's opener

An aggressive Chatfield team rode a strong start and the pitching of Tristin Aguiar to an 8-3 victory over Ely in opening round action Friday night in the Sir G's Midsummer Classic.

Chatfield scored single runs in the first and second frames, including one on a solo homer by Ben Ihrke, and broke the game open with a four-run third inning to end Ely's win streak at four.

Aguiar appeared to get stronger as the game progressed, finishing with a complete-game seven-hitter and eight strikeouts.

Trailing 6-1, Ely scored twice in the third inning and put runners at the corners, but Aguiar escaped further trouble and only allowed one hit the rest of the way.

Chatfield, meanwhile, got to Ely starter Elliot Omerza early and scored four runs on four hits in the third. The damage would have been even more severe if not for a diving stop by third baseman Tayler Banks, which resulted in a double play.

Nick Maki had three hits for the winners while Spencer Mandt roped two doubles.

Ely's Jeff Willis had three hits and Huisman added two.

Other Friday scores in the Sir G's Classic included:
• Duluth Lakeview 13, Hermantown 5;
• Virginia 4, Int. Falls 2;
• Taconite 14, Hermantown 6;
• Stephen-Argyle 8, Proctor 1;
• Cloquet 6, Int. Falls 5;
• Duluth Lakeview 17, Taconite 5.

Action continues Saturday with eight more games, including six in Ely and two at Soudan. Ely meets Hermantown at 1 p.m. and Taconite at 7:45.

Tuesday, July 7, 2015

Ely holds off Esko for fourth straight win

A big first inning and a pair of clutch hits in the sixth helped Ely's American Legion baseball team to its fourth straight win.

Post 248 scored six times in the first and led 9-2 after four innings, but needed two key insurance runs in the sixth to hold off Esko 11-10 at Veterans Memorial Field.

Esko (5-2) closed a seven-run gap to one by scoring five times in the fifth inning and adding another in the sixth, but run-scoring hits by Andy Krunkkala and Jeff Willis proved to be pivotal in the bottom of the frame.

In the seventh, Esko scored two unearned runs against reliever Kyle Durbin and had the tying and go-ahead runs aboard in scoring position, but the righthander coaxed a groundout to end the game.

Starter Pat Huisman, who earned his fifth win of the summer,  cruised through four innings but ran into control problems in the fifth, bringing Durbin on in relief.

Ely gave Huisman a cushion by jolting out to a 6-0 lead in the first, sending 10 men to the plate and capitalizing on four walks and two errors.

Willis and Krunkkala had two hits apiece for the winners, while senior second baseman reached base four times and scored three runs, drawing three walks and adding a single.

Esko pitchers issued nine walks and the visitors made five errors in the sloppy Eighth District Division II contest, while Ely committed three errors and its pitchers walked eight batters.

After two nights off, Post 248 returns to action Friday night with an 8 p.m. game against Chatfield, closing out first-round, opening-day action in the Sir G's Midsummer Classic.

Sunday, July 5, 2015

Sir G's Tournament includes record 11 teams

The Sir G's Midsummer Classic, one of northern Minnesota's largest American Legion baseball tournaments, starts Friday at Ely's Veterans Memorial Field with additional games at nearby Soudan.

A tournament-record 11 teams will take part in this year's event, and for the first time in the event's 15-year history it will include a "true"  championship game.

The Sir G's entrants will be divided into two divisions, one featuring five teams and the other with six.  The two division champions will square off for the tournament title on Sunday, July 12 at 3:45 p.m.

Host Ely, winners of three straight, will be joined by Duluth Lakeview, Hermantown and first-time tournament entrants Chatfield and Watertown in the Red Division.  The six-team Blue Division includes defending Eighth District Division II champion International Falls, first-time entrant Stephen-Argyle, as well as Cloquet, Proctor, Taconite and Virginia.

The action begins at 9 a.m. Friday with Virginia meeting Taconite, with Ely battling Chatfield at 8:15 p.m. in the final game of the day.  Friday is also Ely-Bloomenson Community Hospital Night at the ballpark, with all hospital employees admitted free and receiving a free ballpark dinner, courtesy of Ely-Bloomenson.

Saturday includes six games in Ely and three more at Soudan, with Sunday's schedule consisting of four games in Ely and two in Soudan.

The full schedule is below


2015 Sir G's Pizza/Ely Legion Midsummer Classic

Friday July 10, Saturday July 11, Sunday July 12
at Ely and Soudan

Red Division Blue Division
Ely        Proctor
Chatfield        Stephen-Argyle
Watertown International Falls
Hermantown Taconite
Duluth Lakeview Cloquet
        Virginia
Friday at Ely at Soudan  
 9:00  a.m. Virginia vs. Taconite
11:15 a.m. Duluth Lakeview vs. Hermantown        
 1:30  p.m. Watertown vs. Hermantown         2:00 p.m. - Int. Falls. vs. Taconite
  3:45 p.m. Proctor vs. Stephen-Argyle       5:15 p.m..  Lakeview vs. Watertown   
  6:00 p.m. Cloquet vs. Int. Falls
  8:15 p.m. Ely vs. Chatfield

Saturday at Ely at Soudan         
  8:30 a.m. Stephen-Argyle vs. Cloquet        
10:45 a.m. Virginia vs. Proctor    
1:00 p.m. Ely vs. Hermantown     11:45 - Cloquet vs. Taconite
 3:15 p.m. Chatfield vs. Watertown       2:00 - Virginia vs. Stephen-Argyle
5:30 p.m. Dul. Lakeview vs. Chatfield       4:15  - Taconite vs. Proctor
7:45 p.m. Ely vs. Watertown

Sunday at Ely at Soudan
 9:00 a.m. Int. Falls vs. Stephen-Argyle   9:30    Chatfield vs. Hermantown
 11:15 a.m.         Proctor vs. Int. Falls        11:45    Cloquet vs. VIrginia
 1:30 p.m. Ely vs. Duluth Lakeview
 3:45 p.m. CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

*** Ely will be the home team and occupy the third base dugout for all of its games.
Coin flip to determine home team in all other games.

*** Division champion and order of finish to be determined by record. In case of multiple
teams tying, the following criteria will be used:
 1. Least runs allowed; 2. Most runs scored; 3. Draw numbers

*** Championship game will match the two division champions, with one exception. 
If Red Division team has at least one loss and Blue Division has two teams at 4-0, the
two Blue Divison teams will meet for the tournament championship..

In an effort to keep games on schedule, we will adopt the following special tournament
rules: 1. 8-run rule after five innings; 2. Tie game will be called after nine innings;
3. On Friday-Saturday, no pregame infield will be allowed in Ely, except before the first
and last games.

Thursday, July 2, 2015

Omerza notches shutout as Ely downs Virginia for third straight win

A season-long search for a third starting pitcher may have ended Thursday at Virginia, where Ely's Elliot Omerza recorded his first career shutout.

The senior righthander fired a three-hitter and seemed to get stronger as the game progressed, striking out the side in the seventh as Ely slipped past Virginia 1-0 to gain its third straight win.

Consecutive hits by Gage Merhar, Patrick Huisman and Will Gustafson resulted in the game's only run in the top of the fifth inning, and Omerza made that lead hold up.

After escaping a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the third inning with the help of a double play, Omerza allowed only one hit the rest of the way.

He finished with a season-high eight strikeouts, including six in the final three frames, en route to his first pitching win of the summer.

Omerza was also backed up by a strong Ely defense, which overcame two errors and kept Virginia in check.

Post 248 struggled for much of the game against righthander Colton Herring, a junior from Cherry who has bolstered the Virginia pitching rotation.  The 6-4 Herring held Ely without a hit until the fifth inning and finished with a four-hitter and six strikeouts.

Herring stranded two Ely runners in the fifth but couldn't escape trouble in the sixth, when Merhar's line drive down the right field line started the rally with two out. Huisman's single to right-center put runners at the corners, and Gustafson lined a Herring pitch right up the middle to end the stalemate.

Omerza stranded one Virginia runner in the sixth and closed the game with three consecutive strikeouts.

After a break for the Fourth of July holiday, Ely is back in action Monday with a district doubleheader at Cook County (4 p.m.).

Wednesday, July 1, 2015

Huisman blanks Two Harbors, Ely wins second straight

Thanks to another strong pitching performance and an errorless outing in the field, Ely's American Legion baseball team has its first winning streak of the summer.

Patrick Huisman blanked Two Harbors on four hits and never allowed a runner to reach second base in an 8-0 district road victory Wednesday night.

Huisman, who gained his fourth win of the summer, struck out six and walked just one batter while going the distance.

And after struggling against Two Harbors lefty Kyle Omtvedt early in the game, Ely broke through with a run in the top of the fourth and scored seven more times - on eight hits - over the last three innings.

Eliot Omerza reached on a fielder's choice, moved to second on a balk and scored on consecutive wild pitches as Ely got on the board and took a 1-0 lead.

A Kyle Durbin bunt single helped set the table in the fifth, when both Will Gustafson and Elliot Omerza lined run-scoring hits.

Pinch-hitter Cole Kellogg laced a run-scoring single in the sixth and Gustafson followed with a two-run single, and the rout was on.  Spencer Gaulke doubled in a run in the seventh and pinch-hitter Nick Montana drove in another with a single.

Omerza, Gaulke, Patrick Huisman and Gustafson all finished with two hits for Post 248, which is back in action Thursday at Virginia.

Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Timely hitting, Gustafson's gem, solid ‘D’ add up to win at Taconite

Ely's American Legion baseball team played flawless defense for the first time this summer, and the result was a convincing win Tuesday night at Marble.

College freshman Will Gustafson tossed a complete-game seven-hitter and Ely went without an error, while a four-run fourth-inning provided more than enough offense as Post 248 downed Taconite 7-1.

Gustafson, back after a weeklong trip to Cuba, gave up a first-inning run but settled in after that and avenged a loss to the same team just over two weeks ago.

Ely broke a one-all deadlock in the fourth by scoring four runs, all with two outs. The key blow was a two-run single by Patrick Huisman, who finished with three runs batted in.

Spencer Gaulke's sacrifice fly earlier in the frame put Ely ahead to stay, while Kyle Durbin also added a run-scoring hit during the frame.

Leadoff man Jeff Willis had two hits and scored two times for the winners, and Tayler Banks added two hits. Ely finished with 10 hits against losing pitcher Jeff Korpi, with all but one starter getting at least one hit.

Gustafson recorded six strikeouts and walked only two batters en route to his second win of the summer, and the righthander induced a double-play ball to escape trouble in the sixth inning.

The Ely defense, meanwhile, put together its best outing of the season and bounced back after committing six errors in a Saturday loss to Kenyon.

Schedule set for second Ely Baseball Days celebration

For the second year in a row, the month of July augers a baseball celebration in Ely.

The second annual Ely Baseball Days begins July 7 and runs through July 19, and includes a pair of tournaments, numerous special events and a whopping 36 games at Veterans Memorial Field.

Both the 11-team Sir G's Midsummer Legion Classic and the North Subdistrict VFW Playoffs will be held during the event, and Ely's Legion Alumni Game, scrapped because of rain June 20, has been rescheduled for 7 p.m. on Saturday, July 18.

The event kicks off July 7 with a tripleheader, including a VFW twinbill with International Falls and a 7 p.m. Legion contest between Ely and Esko.  It will be Little League night at the ballpark, with all Little League teams introduced during the Legion game and hot dogs on sale for $1.

Numerous other festivities are planned during Ely Baseball Days, including concession stand specials, an Ely baseball history display, the July 17 dedication of the new scoreboard with Minnesota  Power Night at the ballpark, and a salute to veterans the same evening.

A tentative schedule is below


Schedule of Events
Tuesday July 7
Little League Night
All Hot Dogs $1
VFW - Int. Falls at Ely (2), 2 p.m.
Legion Game - Esko at Ely, 7 p.m.
Ely Little League Champions recognized before game,
2nd, 3rd and 4th place teams to be recognized during game

Wednesday July 8
Junior Three-way tripleheader
Ely vs. Cook County, 3 p.m., Virginia vs. Cook County, 5:15p.m.,
 Ely vs Virginia, 7:30 p.m.
All Hot Dogs $1
Giveaway Night
Drawing for $100 Cash - People receive tickets with each concession purchase,
with drawing during 7:30 p.m. game (must be present)

Friday July 10
Sir G's Midsummer Legion Classic
Games at 9 and 11:15 a.m.., 1:30, 3:45, 6 and 8:15 p.m.
Ely-Bloomenson Community Hospital Night/
Ely Baseball Days Recognition Ceremony, Ely VFW, Ely Juniors on field
Ely Baseball HIstory Display

Saturday July 11
Sir G's Midsummer Legion Classic
Games at 8:30, 10:45 a.m., 1, 3:15, 5:30 and 7:45 p.m.
Ely Baseball History Display

Sunday July 12
Sir G's Midsummer Legion Classic
Games at 9 an 11:15 a.m., 1:30 and 3:45 p.m.
Ely Baseball History Display
Teacher Appreciation Day (?????)

Wednesday July 15
VFW - Ely vs. Deer RIver, 5 p.m.; Legion  - Ely vs. Deer River, 7:30 p.m.
Little League All Stars Night
$2 Burgers, $2 Root Beer Floats
Ely Baseball History Display

Friday July 17
Minnesota Power Night/Veterans Recognition
Legion vs. Virginia, 5 p.m.; Legion vs. Brookston, 7:30 p.m.
Minnesota Power Scoreboard Dedication before 7:30 p.m. game
Veterans on field before 7:30 game

Saturday July 18
North Subdistrict VFW Playoffs
Games at 10 a.m.. 12:15, 2:30 and 4:45 p.m.
Legion Alumni Game - 7 p.m.
Josh Mathson Memorial Presentation

Sunday July 19
North Subdistrict VFW Playoffs
Games at 11 a.m.., 1;30 p.m., 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.

Post 248 winless down south

A long hitting slump for Ely's American Legion baseball team, particularly with runners in scoring position, continued Saturday at Jordan's Mini-Met.

Ely scored only two runs all day in 9-1 and 5-1 losses to Jordan and Kenyon, respectively, and finished the four game swing with four defeats, only six runs scored and a 3-for-30 weekend performance at the plate with runners in scoring position.

Both starting pitchers in Saturday's tilts left early because of injury, with Pat Huisman working just three frames in the loss to Jordan and freshman Gage Merhar leaving the game with Kenyon in the bottom of the second with a tight back.

Brody Skala had three hits for the day for Ely, while Tayler Banks was effective in relief against Kenyon, yielding five hits and no earned runs.

Ely (3-12) is back in action Tuesday night at Marble, against district rival Taconite.

Friday, June 26, 2015

Rough start to southern swing

Ely's American Legion baseball team is 0-for-2 thus far during its visit to the Twin Cities metro area.

Powerful Norwood-Young America ripped 15 hits Thursday night in a 15-1, five-inning rout over Post 248, while Ely stranded 11 runners and yielded five unearned runs in a 7-3 Friday loss to Minneapolis South.

Ely had numerous opportunities against Minneapolis South, in a contest held at Richfield.  Two runners were stranded in scoring position in the top of the first, while Minneapolis South countered with two-run rallies in both the bottom of the first and second, aided by three Ely errors.

That put Post 248 in catch-up mode and Ely never really recovered.

Trailing 7-2 in the sixth, Ely left the bases loaded and stranded its best chance to get back in the game when a Jeff Willis gapper was caught.

Gage Merhar picked up his third hit in the final frame and courtesy runner Preston Leustek scored on a wild pitch, but two more runners were left on base.

Losing pitcher Elliot Omerza gave up six hits, while Tayler Banks worked an inning of scoreless relief.

Ely managed just four hits against three Norwood pitchers, and the hosts put the game away by scoring eight runs in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Post 248 closes out its southern swing Saturday at Jordan's Mini-Met, with games against host Jordan (10 a.m.) and Kenyon (noon).

Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Huisman beats Deer River, ends long losing streak

Patrick Huisman helped put Ely's American Legion baseball team back in familiar territory Tuesday night.

The righthander dominated on the mound, finishing with a three-hitter and 11 strikeouts as Ely downed Deer River 6-2 and snapped a six-game losing skid, the program's longest since 1990.

Huisman, who struck out the side in both the first and second frames, lost his shutout bid in the sixth inning but by then Post 248 had a comfortable cushion.

Deer River fielding miscues led to an unearned run for Ely in the first and set the tone for the night, as the hosts committed seven errors.

Tayler Banks singled and scored on an error in the fourth, while a two-run fifth-inning rally included a double by Gage Merhar and a single by Elliot Omerza, with two errors in between.

Omerza finished with two hits and two runs batted in for the winners, and Merhar added two hits.

Huisman retired seven straight batters at one point and eight at another. He showed pinpoint control and did not walk a batter while improving to 3-1 for the summer.

Sunday, June 21, 2015

Defense hinders Ely in DQ finale

Ely's American Legion baseball team ran head long into a familiar nemesis - its own defense - on the final day of the 28th Annual DQ Grill and Chill Classic.

Post 248 committed 10 errors on the day and dropped a 12-3 and 12-4 decisions to district rivals Two Harbors and Esko, respectively, at Veterans Memorial Field.

Ely, which has lost six straight contests, continued to give opponents extra outs throughout the day, and both teams made the hosts pay.

Nathan Bauck had three hits, including a line drive off the ankle of starting pitcher Spencer Gaulke, in Two Harbors' five-inning win.

The Bauck smash knocked Gaulke out of the game in the third inning, and came after three Ely errors led four unearned runs.

Two Harbors gave winning pitcher Tim Luoma plenty of cushion, and the righthander worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the first inning, finishing with a four-hitter and three strikeouts.

Brody Skala and Gage Merhar knocked in runs in a losing cause for Ely.

In the nightcap, three Ely errors in the top of the first led to four Esko runs, and that all but decided the contest.

Jeff Willis and Kyle Durbin drove in runs in the second inning to trim the lead to 5-3, but Esko came with four runs in the top of the fourth, helped by two Ely errors.

Tyler Peterson had two hits and two runs batted in for Esko, and winning pitcher Derek Peterson scattered seven hits with four strikeouts.

Merhar singled and tripled for Ely, while Elliot Omerza was tagged with the pitching loss.  He gave up eight hits but also walked 10 batters.

In other DQ Classic action, Foley clinched first-place in the abbreviated, rain-shortened tournament with a a 5-0 win over Roseau and a 5-2 triumph against Kenyon.  Roseau outscored Two Harbors 8-7.

Saturday, June 20, 2015

Rain washes away day two at DQ Classic

Seven American Legion baseball teams lost handily to Mother Nature Saturday at Ely's DQ Grill and Chill Classic.

For the first time in the 28-year history of the tournament, an entire Saturday was washed out because of rain.

Seven DQ Classic games and Ely's third annual Alumni Game were casualties of the weather,  with steady rains beginning shortly before 8 a.m. and continuing throughout the day.

As a result, Sunday's schedule has been adjusted to include five six-inning games at Veterans Memorial Field, starting at 8:30 a.m.

The lineup is as follows:
8:30 a.m, - Roseau vs. Foley;
10:30 a.m. - Foley vs. Kenyon;
12:30 p.m. - Roseau vs. Two Harbors;
2:30 p.m. - Ely vs. Two Harbors;
4:30 p.m. - Ely vs. Esko.

Friday, June 19, 2015

Poor start, errors cost Ely in DQ opener

A disastrous first inning set the tone Friday night, and Ely never really recovered in opening round action in the 28th Annual DQ Grill and Chill Classic.

Two Ely errors led to four unearned runs in the top of the first, and Roseau lefty Logan Monsrud had all the support he needed in a 10-2 win at Veterans Memorial Field.

Monsrud finished with a four-hitter and five strikeouts, while Roseau needed just six hits to score the lopsided win, thanks to five Ely errors in the contest.

Nearly every Ely miscue proved to be costly, with a pair of first-inning errors extending the frame and Levi Butler capping it off with a two-run single to center.

It was 5-0 before Ely got on the board in the third, thanks to hits by Jeff Willis and losing pitcher Patrick Huisman.

Roseau put the game away with three runs in the fifth,  only one of which was earned.

Trevor McMillin had two hits for Roseau, while teammate Tanner Landman scored twice

Spencer Gaulke singled and scored a run for Ely in the seventh.

Huisman yielded one earned run and five hits in five innings, while Andy Krunkkala came on in relief..

In other first round action Friday, Deer River scored four runs in the bottom of the seventh and stunned Two Harbors 9-8, while Kenyon outscored Deer River 13-9 in the tournament opener.  Central Minnesota powerhouse Foley blew out Esko 15-1 in five innings.

Action continues Saturday with seven games, five in Ely and two more at Legion Field in Soudan.  Also on the docket is the Ely Alumni Game, set for 5:30 p.m.

Thursday, June 18, 2015

Schedule set for 28th DQ Classic

The 28th annual DQ Grill and Chill Classic has a small-town feel.

The seven-team tournament, which starts Friday at Veterans Memorial Field, consists entirely of Division II squads for the first time in the nearly three-decade history of the event.

Host Ely will be joined by district rivals Two Harbors, Deer River and Esko, and three out-of-the-area teams that are contenders in their own respective districts.

Foley, a DQ Classic mainstay and last year's third-place finisher in the Division II state tournament as does Roseau, Ely's Friday night (8 p.m.) opponent.  Moving to the DQ Classic this year after participating in the Sir G's Midsummer Classic the last three years is Kenyon, a southern Minnesota D2 power.

The tournament gets underway with four games Friday (see schedule), with Saturday's slate set to include six contests at Veterans Memorial Field and two more in neighboring Soudan.

Part of the Saturday lineup is the annual Ely Legion Alumni Game, scheduled for 5:30 p.m.  More than 20 former Ely players plan to participate in the event.

DQ Grill and Chill Classic Schedule
Friday
12:30 p.m. - Kenyon vs. Deer River
3:00 p.m. - Deer River vs. Two Harbors
5:30 p.m.- Foley vs. Esko
8:00 p.m. - Ely vs. Roseau

Saturday
8:30 a.m. - Esko vs. Kenyon
10:45 a.m. - Roseau vs. Foley
11:45 a.m. - Esko vs. Two Harbors (AT SOUDAN)
1:00 p.m. - Ely vs. Kenyon
2:15 p.m. - Roseau vs. Deer River (AT SOUDAN)
3:15 p.m.-  Two Harbors vs. Foley
5:30 p.m.- Ely Alumni Game
7:45 p.m. - Ely vs. Deer River

Sunday
10:00 a.m. - Foley vs. Kenyon
12:30 p.m. - Roseau vs. Two Harbors
3:00 p.m. - Ely vs. Esko

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Ely leaves record 15 on base in loss to Taconite

Ely's American Legion baseball team set a record, but a dubious one at that, Monday night at Veterans Memorial Field.

Post 248 left a whopping 15 runners on base, believed to be the most in team history for a seven-inning game, and fell 7-4 to visiting Taconite in an Eighth District Division II contest.

Opportunities came nearly every inning for Ely, but the hosts left the bases loaded three times and had two runners erased via double-plays.

Meanwhile, Kole Kalisch blasted a two-run homer to left-center in the top of the fifth, snapping a two-all deadlock and sending the West Range visitors on their way.

Taconite, which includes players from the Greenway and Nashwauk-Keewatin, had 11 hits against losing pitcher Will Gustafson but just four of its seven runs were earned, thanks to four Ely errors.

Kyle Durbin reached base five times and went three-for-four with two runs batted in for Ely, while teammates Elliot Omerza and Dylan Kienitz added two hits each.

Trailing 5-3 in the sixth, Ely loaded the bases with no outs but came up empty, thanks to a double-play ball coaxed by Kalisch, who came on in relief of winning pitcher Jacob Neumeier.

Taconite tacked on two insurance runs in the top of the seventh, but Ely countered with one run in the bottom of the frame and loaded the bases again, only to come up short.

In exhibition action Tuesday night, host Moose Lake spotted Ely a 4-0 lead but roared back and won 14-4 in six innings. The Outlaws ripped 15 hits, four by Brad Fossum.

Sunday, June 14, 2015

Ely splits at Wade

Ely's American Legion baseball team survived a disastrous inning and rebounded to win the opening game of a Friday evening doubleheader at Wade Stadium.

Cook County erased an 8-0 Ely lead with eight runs in the top of the fourth, but Post 248 weathered the storm and went on to an 11-8 victory behind the pitching of junior Patrick Huisman.

In the nightcap, Ely couldn't solve Cook County's Frankie Miller, who fired a three-hitter in a 7-3 win.

Post 248 seemed to be cruising in the opener after a seven-run first inning, but Cook County took advantage of four Ely errors and had a big inning of its own in the fourth, when it sent 12 batters to the plate.

But Huisman didn't give up a run the rest of the way and finished with an eight-hitter, eight strikeouts and his second win of the summer.

Ely regained the lead in the bottom of the fifth, when Brody Skala singled in Jeff Willis.  Skala also knocked in a run in Post 248's two-run sixth.

Will Gustafson had a two-run single in the opening frame and wound up with two hits and three runs batted in.

Miller held Ely without a hit through five innings of the second game, and his teammates staked the righthander to a 4-0 lead.

That held up until the sixth, when an error, three walks and a hit batter helped Ely slice the lead to one.

But Miller stranded the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position, and Cook County got three unearned runs in the bottom of the sixth against reliever Spencer Gaulke.

Elliot Omerza took the loss, working the first three innings with Gaulke coming on in relief.

Ely returns to action Monday night against district rival Taconite, with the opening pitch slated for 7 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Field.

Thursday, June 11, 2015

Skala powers Ely to first win

Brody Skala is making a big impact in his first season in an Ely American Legion baseball uniform.

Skala's double in the bottom of the seventh gave Ely a walkoff, 9-8 win over district rival Two Harbors Wednesday night at Veterans Memorial Field.

And two innings earlier, Skala's first career home run - a two-run blast over the center field fence - powered a five-run Ely uprising.

The hits keyed Post 248's first win of the season, a seesaw affair.

Skala's home run and a two-run triple by Kyle Durbin put the hosts up 8-4 after five innings, but Two Harbors countered with three runs in the sixth, then nicked reliever Pat Huisman for a run with two outs in the top of the seventh.

That set the stage for the bottom half of the frame, when Huisman and Gage Merhar drew two-out walks, and Skala followed with his shot to the left-center gap.

Skala wound up with three runs batted in for the winners, while teammates Durbin and Will Gustafson added two hits each.

Huisman worked an inning on the mound and got the win, relieving Gustsafson, who scattered 10 hits in six frames.

Starting pitcher Lucas Kempffer had two hits for Two Harbors, while reliever Easton Best - the third Two Harbors pitcher - was tagged with the loss.

Ely is back in action Friday with a doubleheader against Cook County, at Duluth's renovated Wade Stadium. The first pitch is at 4:30 p.m.

Friday, June 5, 2015

Moose Lake sweeps Ely

A late rally gave visiting Moose Lake a second-game victory and a sweep of Ely's season-opening American Legion baseball doubleheader Friday night at Veterans Memorial Field.

Chris Carlson's bases-clearing double tied the game in the sixth, and the winning run scored in the eighth inning on a passed ball as the visitors pulled off a 7-6 victory.

Brad Fossum went five-for-five in the opener and Rex Janke limited Post 248 to four hits in a 12-2, first-game decision.

The contest of the day was the nightcap, as Alex Marafiot's two-run single capped a three-run top of the sixth and put Ely up 6-3.  Ely was the visiting team in the second game of the Eighth District Division II league twinbill.

But Post 248's lead was short-lived as Moose Lake came back with three runs in its half of the frame, all on Carlson's key blow.

The winners pushed across a run in the eighth against losing pitcher Spencer Gaulke, who came on in relief of starter Patrick Huisman, who gave up nine hits in six frames and allowed three earned runs.

Huisman and Gaulke had two hits each for Ely, as did Tayler Banks. Brody Skala ripped a run-scoring double.

In the opening game, Moose Lake scored nine runs in the last three frames, pulling away after Ely trimmed the lead to 3-2.

Fossum stoked the winners' offense, and Moose Lake also capitalized on three Ely errors. Losing pitcher Will Gustafson struck out five in five innings of work, and both Willis and Gaulke had two hits each for Post 248.

Ely returns to action Wednesday, at home, against Two Harbors.


Thursday, June 4, 2015

VFW Tourney starts Friday in Ely

Ely's American Legion baseball opener marks just the start of a busy weekend at Veterans Memorial Field.

Following Post 248's season-opening twinbill with Moose Lake Friday, play begins that night in the seven-team Taste of Ely VFW Classic.

Host Ely takes on Thunder Bay under the lights at 8 p.m., setting the stage for two full days of action Saturday and Sunday.

The schedule includes:
Saturday - at Ely
10:00 a.m. - Virginia vs. Greenway
12:30 p.m. - Ely vs. Grand Rapids Orange
3:00 p.m. - Edina vs. Thunder Bay
5:30 p.m.- West Duluth vs. Thunder Bay
8:00 p.m. - Ely vs. Edina

Saturday - at Soudan
1:30 p.m. - Greenway vs. West Duluth
4:00 p.m. - Virginia vs. Grand Rapids Orange

Sunday - at Ely
10:00 a.m. - Edina vs. Grand Rapids Orange
12:15 p.m. -  West Duluth vs. Virginia
2:30 p.m. -  West Duluth vs. Grand Rapids Orange
4:45 p.m - Ely vs. Greenway

Sunday - at Soudan
11:00 a.m. - Thunder Bay vs. Greenway
3:30 p.m. - Virginia vs. Edina

Tuesday, June 2, 2015

Season opener moved up, set for Friday at Veterans Memorial Field

Ely's 2015 American Legion baseball season will start a bit earlier than first anticipated.

Post 248 will host Moose Lake in a doubleheader starting at 4 p.m. Friday at Veterans Memorial Field, launching another season of summer baseball in Ely.

The twinbill was finalized Tuesday after Moose Lake's scheduled trip to Taconite was postponed.

Ely, which went 20-12 and finished third in the Eighth District Division II playoffs a year ago, is counting on a mix of returning and new talent in a bid to contend in the district. College freshman Will Gustafson, the likely opening game starter, heads the pitching staff after winning four games and striking out a batter per inning last year.

Junior Patrick Huisman is also back after going 4-0 with a 2.03 earned run average last year and driving in a team-high 24 runs. Other top returning hitters include second baseman Elliot Omerza (.333), left fielder Cole Kellogg (.308), centerfielder Jeff Willis (.292) and outfielder/first baseman Spencer Gaulke (.290).  Ely is also likely to get a boost in the middle of its lineup from freshman catcher Gage Merhar, who earned All-Arrowhead Conference status   in high school and hit over .450 this spring.

The doubleheader kicks off a better than 25-game regular season schedule for Post 248, which includes two upcoming home tournaments, the eight-team DQ Grill and Chill Classic (June 19-21) and the 12-team Sir G's Midsummer Classic (July 10-12).

Friday's games also lead up to the first tournament of the year at the ballpark, the seven-team Taste of Ely VFW Classic. Ely takes on Thunder Bay at 8 p.m. Friday to open an event that runs through Sunday afternoon.

Monday, May 18, 2015

2015 Schedule Released

Ely's 2015 American Legion baseball schedule is set.  The season-opener is slated for Wednesday, June 10, when Post 248 meets Two Harbors in a district playoff rematch at Veterans Memorial Schedule.

The debut marks the start of another busy summer, which includes a pair of home tournaments. The 28th DQ Grill And Chill Classic runs from June 19-21, has eight teams and will also include the third annual Ely Legion Alumni Game.  Three weeks later, a record 12 teams will participate in the Sir G's Midsummer Classic (July 10-12), which will be part of the second annual Ely Baseball Days Celebration. Also part of the docket is the Legion team's annual trip south in late-June, which features a pair of games at Jordan's historic Mini Met ballpark.

The full schedule, subject to change, is listed below


2015 Ely American Legion Baseball Schedule

Date Opponent Time
Wednesday June 10 Two Harbors 7 p.m.

Monday June 15 Taconite         7 p.m.
Tuesday June 16 at Moose Lake (2) 4 p.m.
Friday June 19 DQ Classic - Foley or Kenyon 8 p.m.
Saturday June 20 DQ Classic - Blackduck or Kenyon 1 p.m.
Saturday June 20 DQ Classic - Roseau          7:45 p.m.
Sunday June 21 DQ Classic - Esko 4:15 p.m.
Tuesday June 23 at Deer River 6 p.m.
Thursday June 25 vs. Norwood-Young Am. (at Cologne) 8 p.m.
Friday June 26 Southern  Trip (to be announced)
Saturday June 27 at Jordan         11 a.m.
Saturday June 27 vs. Kenyon (at Jordan) 1 p.m.

Tuesday June 30 at Taconite (Marble) 7 p.m.
Wednesday July 1 at Two Harbors         6 p.m.
Thursday July 2 at Virginia         6 or 7 (check time)

Monday July 6 at Cook County (2) 4 p.m.
Tuesday July 7 Esko         7 p.m.
Friday July 10 Sir G's Classic          8 p.m.
Saturday July 11 Sir G's Classic-         1 p.m.
Saturday July 11 Sir G's Classic-         7:45 p.m.
Sunday July 12 Sir G's Classic -          to be announced

Tuesday July 14 at Int. Falls 6 p.m.
Wednesday July 15 Deer River 7:30 p.m.
Friday July 17 Virginia          5 p.m.
Friday July 17 Brookston 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday July 21 District Tournament - Deer River/Cohasset
Friday July 24 District Tournament - Deer River/Cohasset
Saturday July 25 District Tournament - Deer River/Cohasset
Sunday July 26 District Tournament - Deer River

Friday July 31 State Tournament - Morris
Saturday August 1 State Tournament - Morris
Sunday August 2 State Tournament - Morris