13th Sir G's Classic about to begin, loaded with top talent

The field is set and the first pitch awaits in the 13th Annual Sir G's/Ely  Legion Midsummer Classic.

The 10-team tournament, one of the largest in northeastern Minnesota and loaded with the area's leading Division I and Division II teams, gets underway Friday with five games in Ely and two more at Soudan's Legion Field.

Host Ely, winners of six of its last seven, takes on Pine City at 8 p.m. Friday to close out the first day of action in an event that boasts considerable talent.

Defending district champion Taconite, first-year powerhouse International Falls (12-3) and southern Minnesota contender Kenyon join Ely, ranked sixth in the state among small-school teams, as leading Division II teams in the event.  Duluth Lakeview is one of several top-flight Division I programs in the event, joining Cloquet, Proctor, Hemantown and Virginia.  Pine City, a Division II team, rounds out the 10-team field.

The tournament includes nine of the 12-members of the Duluth News-Tribune's All-Area team and three high school all-staters - Ely's Louie Gerzin, Kenyon's Alex Roosen and Duluth East's Jake Turner.

Sponsored by the popular Sheridan Street Italian restaurant, the Sir G's event started in 2002 and the 10-team field matches last year's tournament as the biggest yet. The teams will be divided into two five-team pools and will play four games each, weather permitting.

The tournament also coincides with the first-ever Ely Baseball Days Celebration, which includes an Ely  baseball history display that can be viewed at Veterans Memorial Field throughout the event.  Friday night is also Ely-Bloomenson Community Hospital Night at the ballpark, with all hospital employees and board members admitted free.

Tournament Schedule
Friday - at Ely
10:00 a.m. - Taconite vs. Kenyon
12:30 p.m. - Hermantown vs. Virginia
3:00 p.m.- Int. Falls vs. Cloquet
5:30 p.m. - Kenyon vs. Duluth Lakeview
8:00 p.m.-  Ely vs. Pine City

Friday - at Soudan
3:45 p.m. - Taconite vs. Hermantown
6:15 p.m. - Cloquet vs. Proctor

Saturday - at Ely
8:30 a.m. - Virginia vs. Duluth Lakeview
10:45 a.m.- Taconite vs. Duluth Lakeview
1:00 p.m. - Ely vs. Int. Falls
3:15 p.m.- Cloquet vs. Pine City
5:30 p.m. - Int. Falls vs. Proctor
7:45 p.m. - Ely vs. Cloquet

Saturday - at Soudan
10:30 a.m.- Proctor vs. Pine City
1:00 p.m. - Hermantown vs. Kenyon
3:30 p.m.- Virginia vs. Taconite

Sunday - at Ely
9:30 a.m. - Kenyon vs. Virginia
11:45 a.m. - Int. Falls vs. Pine City
2:00 p.m. - Hermantown vs. Duluth Lakeview
4:15 p.m. - Ely vs. Proctor