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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 7 and runs through Sunday, June 9.
Ely takes on Thief River Falls in the opening night finale, while Post 248 meets Cloquet, Crosby-Ironton and Duluth East during the weekend. Chisholm, Hermantown and Moose Lake-Barnum round out the field of teams. This marks the seventh 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 Legion baseball in Ely, with Veterans Memorial Field serving as the site of the Division II Substate Tournament at the Senior Level. That’s a 10-team event to determine the area’s state tournament qualifier. That event encompasses two weekends in July and culminates with a July 27 title game.
Tom Coombe and Frank Ivancich return to coach the Senior Legion team while Ely’s Junior Legion team will be led by Jim Wittrup and Aaron Donais.
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 10.
Senior Legion action is tentatively set to begin June 12 with a game at Cook County, Ely will host its annual DQ Senior Legion Classic June 21-23 with the 12-team Sir G’s Midsummer Classic on deck for July 11-14.
• 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.
