Junior Legion tourney opens busy summer
Post 248 starts summer season with six-team event June 9-11
Ely’s summer baseball season will get underway next weekend with its annual season-opening event.
The z’Up North Realty Classic kicks off a busy summer of action at Veterans Memorial Field, with six teams taking part in an event that begins June 9 and runs through Sunday, June 11.
Ely takes on Staples-Motley in the opening night finale, while Post 248 meets Grand Rapids, Cloquet and Moose Lake-Barnum during the weekend. Hermantown rounds out the field of teams.
This marks the sixth year that Ely will play Junior Legion rather than VFW baseball, as the local baseball program has joined many others across the state in making the switch in the age 16-and-under ranks.
It’s a big year for Junior Legion baseball in Ely, with Veterans Memorial Field serving as the site of the Division II Substate Tournament, a nine-team event to determine the area’s state tournament qualifier. That event runs the week of July 24 and will finish the weekend of July 29-30.
Ely’s Junior Legion team will be led by longtime coach Jim Wittrup.
Practices begin this week for Ely’s age 14/under summer baseball group, which will once again play in the Iron Range League with regular season action to begin on June 12.
Senior Legion action is tentatively set to begin Thursday, with a game at Two Harbors, although that contest could be pushed back if Ely’s high school team remains alive in the Section 7A playoffs.
Ely will host its annual DQ Senior Legion Classic June 16-18, with the 10-team Sir G’s Midsummer Classic on deck for July 7-9, and opening round contests in Northeast Substate Tournament to follow July 15-16.
To cap off a busy summer, the region’s age 14 and under teams will come to the historic ballpark for the 10th Annual Iron Range Baseball League Tournament, set for Aug. 4-6.
• Registration remains open for Ely’s summer baseball teams, with registration forms available online and from area coaches.
Registration will also take place Monday at 6 p.m. during a brief meeting at Veterans Memorial Field.
Contact Tom Coombe at (218) 235-1025 or Frank Ivancich at 235-1464 for further information.
