Ely’s high school softball team remains alive in postseason play, but now there’s no margin for error.
Second-seeded Silver Bay roughed up the Timberwolves 11-1 on Tuesday, opening the double-elimination phase of the Section 7A tournament.
Ely reached the final-eight and the double-elimination phase with a 14-4 victory over Floodwood earlier in the day, but the loss to the Mariners sent the Wolves into the elimination bracket.
Now 12-9 for the spring, the seventh-seeded Wolves were set to take on number- six Mt. Iron-Buhl Thursday, after deadline, at Silver Bay.
Ely needed two wins Thursday to stay alive and advance to the final four, which is slated for Tuesday, May 26 at Cloquet’s Braun Park.
Silver Bay, which beat the Wolves 4-2 during the regular season, had little trouble in Tuesday’s rematch and pounced early with five runs in the first two innings.
That was more than enough for winning pitcher Berkley Hoff, who scattered six hits and struck out seven.
Hoff also helped her own cause with two hits and three runs batted in including a solo home run in the bottom of the first.
The Mariners collected 14 hits against Ely pitchers Zoe MacKenzie and Naomi Archer.
Ely’s only run came in the third inning, when Julia Zgonc singled in courtesy runner Addison Spanier.
Lindi Zemke and Makenzi Huntington had two hits each for the Wolves.
In the opening game, the Wolves quickly overcame a 4-3 deficit and went on to finish 10th-seeded Floodwood in five innings.
Zgonc had the hot bat, going four-for-four with a two-run triple in the first inning and coming all the way around when the Polar Bears misplayed a double later in the game.
Zemke also had a hot bat, going two-for-two with three runs batted in. Makenzi Huntington added two hits with three runs scored and Ella Perish drove in two runs. MacKenzie got the win in the pitching circle, overcoming a four-run third and allowing five hits with eight strikeouts.
• Ely closed the regular season Saturday with a split doubleheader, downing Floodwood 9-7 and North Woods 8-3.
In the opening game, sophomore Naomi Archer worked five innings to get the pitching win.
She gave up 10 hits with three strikeouts before giving way to MacKenzie, who got the six-out save while recording four strikeouts.
Zemke homered, finished with two hits and had three RBI, and both Zgonc and Peyton Huntington scored twice. Amelia Penke also drove in two runs.
Later in the day, MacKenzie tossed an eight-hitter with five strikeouts as the Wolves cruised.
MacKenzie singled, doubled and drove in four runs, while center fielder Grace Flynn went two-for-three with two runs scored. Zgonc also singled, scored and drove in a run.
• The Wolves were also home for two games on May 15, beating Two Harbors 13-3 and falling 14-4 to Iron Range Conference champion Greenway.
The top of the order helped fuel the win over Two Harbors as Peyton and Makenzi Huntington combined for four hits, five RBI and three runs scored, Zgonc added three hits, Flynn was three-for-three with three runs scored, and Zemke doubled and drove in two runs, MacKenzie gave up seven hits while fanning five.
Greenway scored in every inning and ripped 20 hits against the Wolves.
At the plate, Zemke had two of Ely’s four hits and knocked in two runs,
WAITING FOR THE BALL - Ely senior Zoe MacKenzie took a break from pitching and played in the outfield last week during home action.
FIRING IT IN FROM THE OUTFIELD - Freshman Lucy Oelke made the throw for the Wolves, who opened playoff action earlier this week.
Father Daughter “Cheek to Cheek.” Blake and Monica Brenny, Cade and Ada Gornick, Josh and Addie Hanninen, Carter and Kameron Manning, Louis Gerzin and Alaina Burnside.
