Ely’s Legion baseball team hadn’t played for roughly a week while Louie Panichi hadn’t pitched in 10 days.
But rust wasn’t evident Monday night at Veterans Memorial Field as Panichi and Post 248 returned to action, and looked sharp doing so.
Panichi fired a two-hitter and notched eight strikeouts, and was hardly tested on the way to a 10-0 shutout victory over district rival Cook County.
Ely (10-3) got back on the field after a holiday break while Panichi, a Vermilion- bound lefthander from Cook, earned his third win of the summer - and second shutout.
Panichi also had good control, walking only one as Ely piled up runs to pull away in five innings.
Post 248 made full use of its six hits, and capitalized on walks, errors and wild pitches and running at will against the Cook County defense.
Owen Marolt scored three of Ely’s 10 runs, while catcher Ben Leeson singled and scored two more.
Talen Jarshaw emerged from an early-season slump and added two hits for the winners and senior shortstop Caid Chittum singled in a run.
Sean Merriman scored twice and added a run-scoring hit while both Hunter Halbakken and Stig Majerus drove in runs.
A second game set for Monday, against Deer River, was rained out.
• Post 248 will be busy this weekend with four games as part of the Ely Echo Midsummer Classic.
Ely met Warroad Thursday night after deadline, while the hosts follow with matchups against Walker (Friday), Roseau (Saturday) and Moose Lake-Barnum (Sunday).
The 10-team tournament runs through Sunday and also involves Viroqua (Wisc.), St. Louis Park, Hibbing, Thunder Bay and McGregor.
• Postseason action begins at the ballpark on Saturday, July 19 with the first rounds of the Northeast Substate Playoffs.
Ely will be joined by Taconite, Deer River and Cook County in a four-team, double- elimination playdown, with the winner advancing to the Northeast Substate Final Four at Cloquet, July 25-27.
• Passes remain on sale for the Division II State Tournament, to be held in Ely July 31-Aug. 2.
A $10 pass gets the holder into all 12 games for the event, saving $20 in gate fees for the tournament.
The passes will only be sold until July 25 and are available from local baseball players and at the Ely Echo.
