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It took one of the section’s top teams to cool down the Ely Timberwolves.
Silver Bay rode a fast start to a 7-6 high school softball victory Wednesday in Ely, stranding the game-tying run at third in the bottom of the seventh inning.
The loss ended a seven- game winning streak for the Wolves, who fell to 8-3 for the spring.
The home contest came in advance of busy week that includes six games, starting with Monday’s home doubleheader against Mt. Iron-Buhl.
That stretch will almost certainly determine if the Wolves stay among the topfour ranked teams in Section 7A and get the chance to host playoff games on Tuesday, May 20.
As of Wednesday, the Wolves were clinging to the fourth spot, with a key battle against number-five South Ridge looming Friday.
Silver Bay, which is rated third in 7A, scored twice in both the first and second innings and tacked on three more runs in the fifth against losing pitcher Zoe MacKenzie, who allowed nine hits.
Ely battled back in the bottom of the fifth, with a two-run singe by Ameila Penke and a two-run double by Ella Perish closing the gap.
Senior Clare Thomas, who finished with two hits and a run batted in, doubled to lead off the seventh but was stranded at third.
Penke and Peyton Huntington finished with two hits each for the Wolves, while Thomas scored twice.
• Freshman Naomi Archer was in the pitching circle Tuesday, as Ely cruised past host Chisholm 16-3 in a five-inning contest.
Archer gained the win while tossing a three-hitter with five strikeouts, and she had plenty of run support.
Ely broke open a tight game with six runs in the top of the fourth, never looking back.
Julia Zgonc stoked the Wolves’ offense, going fourfor- four with three runs scored.
Perish homered on her way to three runs batted in. She scored four times and had three hits.
Mattson ripped four hits and knocked in three runs, with two double for the afternoon, and Makenzi Huntington finished with two hits. Penke scored twice and knocked in two runs.
• MacKenzie singled in Zgonc for the go-ahead run in the top of the sixth, and Ely went on to a 4-3 win on Monday at International Falls.
MacKenzie also went the distance to earn the pitching victory, scattering six hits and striking out seven Broncos batters.
Perish singled in two runs for the winners, and MacKenzie had a three-for-four day at the plate. Thomas also finished with two hits and Rylee Larsen doubled.
• In a May 1 home affair, the Wolves scored twice in the fifth and two more in the sixth, knocking off North Woods 5-3.
MacKenzie reached base on an error in the fifth, allowing two runs to score, while Ely took the lead in the sixth with some help from the visitors.
Makenzi Huntington walked and scored the winning run on a wild pitch while Zgonc scored on insurance run when Penke reached base on an error.
MacKenzie tossed the complete game, winding up with a nine-hitter, three earned runs and seven strikeouts.
