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.