Ely’s American Legion baseball team tuned up for this week’s state tournament with two wins - and a hardfought loss with a longtime rival.
Esko edged Ely 7-6 in a July 26 Northeast Substate clash in Cloquet, a win that essentially gave the Eskomos the substate title and a berth in this week’s state tournament in Ely.
Post 248 opened the Final Four with a 12-2 win over Walker and followed the Esko clash with a 10-0 thrashing of Milaca on Saturday.
That left two teams in the tournament - Ely and Esko -they bypassed the substate title game as both teams had already qualified for state.
Ely (18-6) outhit Esko in what turned out to be the actual title clash, but was done in by walks and errors Hits were 10-6 in favor of Ely, but the Eskomos capitalized on seven walks in the first three-plus innings as well as several Ely errors to take a 6-2 lead.
Ely closed the gap to 6-4 in the sixth, and after Esko scratched out an unearned run in the bottom of the frame, Post 248 tacked on two more runs on a Sean Merriman single.
Merriman got as far as third base, but Esko reliever Sam Haugen escaped further damage.
Both Merriman and Louie Panichi had three hits for Ely, while Evan Leeson knocked in two runs.
Panichi took the loss on the mound while Caid Chittum worked three innings in relief.
The following day, Talen Jarshaw tossed a one-hit shutout, working around six walks and fanning seven in the six-inning victory.
Panichi added three more hits and drove in two runs, and Chittum added a sacrifice fly and a two-run single.
Catcher Ben Leeson scored twice and doubled in a run and leadoff man Drew Johnson scored three times and drove in a run.
Ely overcame an early 2-0 deficit to rally past Walker in the opening game.
Three Ely pitchers combined on a one-hitter, with Hunter Halbakken working two-and-two-thirds, Owen Marolt retiring nine straight batters and Jarshaw finishing up.
Chittum had two hits including a two-run single and a run-scoring double.
Ely was also aided by walks and errors.
PRESENTING a metal print of an aerial photo of Veterans Memorial Field to longtime Ely head coach and tournament director Tom Coombe at the banquet. Each of the Ely coaches will be presented with the photo.
JERSEYS for the eight teams represented at the State American Legion baseball tournament were on display.
