Ely’s high school softball team has good reason to be happy early on in the 2026 campaign.
For starters, by April 15, the Timberwolves not only had completed four games without a weather-related postponement, but they’ve also completed three junior varsity contests and a junior high game as well.
And on the field, the Wolves were 2-2 at the varsity level on the heels of some strong performances, most notably two wins in three games last weekend in southern Minnesota.
After an opening game loss to Kenyon-Wanamingo, the Wolves rebounded Saturday with solid wins over both Hayfield and Blooming Prairie.
And Tuesday, the Wolves stayed within a run of a solid Mt. Iron-Buhl team, despite giving senior pitching ace Zoe MacKenzie a break from the circle.
Sophomore Naomi Archer started for the Wolves and kept Ely in the game, scattering nine hits and recording two strikeouts.
The Rangers needed a seventh-inning rally to get the win, turning a leadoff triple into the game-winning run.
Junior catcher Peyton Huntington had three of the Wolves’ 12 hits, while MacKenize had two hits and two runs batted in.
Two ninth-graders also provided a spark, as Lindi Zemke ripped two hits as did Lucy Oelke.
• Ely opened the season with a 10-0, five-inning loss to Kenyon-Wanamingo.
The Wolves showed some rust in the opener, and the Knights blew things open with an eight-run third inning, sending 13 batters to the plate and cashing in on a couple of Ely errors.
At the plate, Ely was shut out and held to one hit - a double by Huntington.
MacKenzie went three innings and took the loss and Archer worked a frame in relief.
• The tables were turned Saturday, as Ely scored five times in the sixth inning and five in the seventh on the way to a 13-1 triumph over Hayfield.
MacKenzie pitched six shutout innings, allowing four hits and fanning five before giving way to Archer in the seventh.
The Wolves rapped out 12 hits, with second baseman Julia Zgonc going three-forthree with two runs scored and a double.
MacKenzie helped her own cause with two hits, two runs scored and two RBI, and Amelia Penke had a two-run double.
Peyton Huntington added two hits and two runs batted in and Zemke went two-forfour with two runs scored, and Ella Perish scored twice. Makenzi Huntington scored twice and had a single.
• The Wolves closed out the southern road trip with a 13-2, five-inning win at Blooming Prairie.
Archer was the winning pitcher, allowing seven this with four strikeouts, and she was backed by plenty of offense.
Makenzi Huntington led the way, getting two hits with three runs batted in, while Peyton Huntington scored five runs while going twofor- three.
Zemke finished with two hits and a run scored, Grace Flynn scored twice and had two runs batted in, and Zgonc scored two runs. Oelke doubled in a run and scored once,
• After a series of road games to open the campaign, Ely has three home games this week, starting with Monday’s home tilt against Mesabi East. Deer River (Tuesday) and Chisholm (Thursday) also come to town this week. All three games begin at 4 p.m.
