N-K looms as Legion obstacle

Entering the postseason, Ely’s American Legion baseball team knows this much is certain: the road to the state tournament goes through Nashwauk.That’s where the Eighth District Division II playoffs begin next Thursday, and host Nashwauk-Keewatin has the top seed for the seven-team, double-elimination tournament, thanks to their 10-5 win over Ely Wednesday night at Veterans Memorial Field.Winning pitcher John Kalmi was staked to a 9-0 lead by the top of the second, and the righthander fanned 11 Ely hitters on his way to the complete-game win.N-K, which also beat Ely 2-1 earlier in the summer, looms as an imposing obstacle as Post 248 begins its quest for a seventh state tournament berth in nine years.“There’s no question that Nashwauk’s the team to beat,” said Ely Head Coach Tom Coombe. “We’re going to have to put together an excellent tournament to advance, but I think we have the pitching depth to give it a run.”And in addition to a pitching staff headed by senior ace Tim Scott, Ely (20-8) may also have the district’s hottest hitter entering tournament play.Colin Moberly had a monster week for Ely, lacing seven extra-base hits and driving in 16 runs in less than 24 hours.Moberly went four-for-five with six runs batted in when Ely downed Chisholm 14-5 on Tuesday, and the junior-to-be belted two home runs and finished with seven RBI as Post 248 roughed up Brookston 11-1 in the first half of Wednesday’s split twinbill.For good measure, Moberly added a three-run double during the loss to N-K.“We haven’t hit for power all season long, but Colin has just been on a tear,” said Coombe. “If we can get that kind of production from the middle of our lineup in the playoffs, it will be a big boost.”Moberly also picked up the win on the mound against Chisholm, recording 11 strikeouts along the way.Ely pounded out 17 hits in the win, with Scott, Kevin Pope, Ryan Potter, Jordan Richards and Ben Barnes getting two each.Moberly had a two-run double in the first, a three-run homer in the second and a two-run round-tripper in the fourth against Brookston.Billy Tibbetts, meanwhile, got his fourth pitching victory of the season en route to a four-hitter. He had four strikeouts.Aaron Thom added two hits for the winners.Ely got off to a disastrous start against N-K, which scored three unearned runs in the first and then chased starter Phil Brodeen with a six-run second. Kalmi and John Chimento both had two-run doubles in the second for the winners.Moberly’s bases-clearing double helped Ely cut the gap in the third, but that was about all the hosts could muster against Kalmi, who struck out the side in the seventh to finish the game.• Ely went 2-1 on a weekend road trip to the St. Cloud area.Scott pitched all 10 innings in a 3-1 win over high school Class AA champion Paynesville last Friday. The lefty notched 11 strikeouts and gave up four hits.Run-scoring hits by Thom and Potter broke the deadlock in the top of the 10th. Ely completed the sweep against Paynesville with a four-run rally in the sixth, which gave Post 248 a 7-4 win.Jay Olson’s single tied it up and Tibbetts followed with a run-scoring hit that put Ely ahead.Tibbetts pitched two innings in relief of Brodeen to get the win.Willmar hammered Ely 10-0 in five innings last Saturday, as Darrin Dittrich tossed a no-hitter with six strikeouts. Nick Furnstahl was the losing pitcher.