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Esko KOs Ely Legion 11-inning, 3-2 heartbreaker and shutout in championship game result in second-place finish in Northeast Substate Tournament
Northern Minnesota baseball juggernaut Esko captured yet another championship and trip to the state tournament last weekend - holding off a determined upset bid from Ely.
In the span of 24 hours, Ely’s American Legion team twice played evenly with Esko but came up short.
An 11-inning, 3-2 marathon went Esko’s way in a July 26 clash at Veterans Memorial Field, and Esko claimed the Division II Northeast Substate title with Saturday’s 3-0 victory.
The wins sent Esko to Bird Island for this week’s state tournament while Ely finished as runner-up in the substate for a second straight summer and wound up 20-7 for the season.
But Post 248 had its chances to move on.
The prime opportunity came in the first matchup, with a berth in the finals on the line.
Ely tied the game at two in the bottom of the sixth and had chances to take the lead in that inning and again in the seventh, ninth and 10th frames.
Esko wiggled out of trouble each time, with the help of pitchers Jackson Peterson and Dylan Marcialonis, and later scratched out a run in the 11th when Conner Pearce rapped his third hit of the day and scored on a sacrifice fly.
“The 11 inning game was a killer,” said Ely Head Coach Tom Coombe. “We can’t say that we didn’t have our opportunities because we did. We just didn’t execute when we needed to and Esko didn’t give us anything. That’s the sign of a championship team. There’s a reason Esko has won so many games.”
The winners’ bracket clash had plenty of twists, turns and drama.
Ely starting pitcher Louie Panichi gave up an unearned run in the third inning, while the visitors pieced together three singles to score one in the sixth.
Otherwise, Panichi was in control for seven innings, scattering nine hits and striking out six.
Ely’s Caid Chittum came on from there, working four innings and giving up only the run in the top of the 11th. He also struck out six.
Ely got on the board in the third when Panichi, who finished four-for-five, singled and scored on a Chittum hit.
The hosts’ best chance came in the bottom of the sixth, when singles by Ben Leeson and Chittum, and a walk to Erron Anderson loaded the bases.
Peterson, who struck out eight, locked in and fanned the next batter but Drew Johnson’s fielder’s choice brought home Panichi and tied the game. Another strikeout ended the rally, stranding two runners in scoring position.
In the bottom of the seventh, Panichi ripped a twoout double off Marcialonis but was left on second.
Ely put leadoff runners aboard in both the ninth and 10th innings, but couldn’t convert bunt attempts.
“Those little things are the difference between winning and losing a big game,” said Coombe. “It was tough to lose, but we just didn’t do enough to go out there and take it.”
The loss put Ely into the elimination bracket the same evening, and Post 248 pulled out a 3-2 victory against Taconite.
Singles by Panichi and Leeson put runners at the corners in the bottom of the seventh, and Chittum came through with a shot to the third-base side, scoring Panichi for the walk-off win.
Brecken Sandberg dominated on the mound, striking out 12 while going the distance on a five-hitter.
After Taconite scored in the top of the first, Ely tied it in the bottom half as Leeson singled and scored on an Anderson hit.
Taconite took a 2-1 lead in the top of the sixth, but the hosts tied it in the bottom half when Chittum singled and scored from third on a double-steal.
That set the stage for the seventh.
Leeson, Anderson and Drew Johnson all had two hits in the game for Ely.
In the finals, Ely was held to just two hits by Pearce, and Esko scored all the runs it would need - and the only runs of the contest - in the bottom of the first.
Esko struck quickly against starting pitcher Hunter Halbakken, combining four hits with three Ely errors to take a 3-0 lead.
Drew Marolt came on in relief and was flawless, pitching five shutout innings in his first mound appearance in more than a month.
“Drew has battled some arm issues so we weren’t sure what we were going to get,” said Coombe. “He really came through and gave us a chance, but again we just didn’t put together enough offense.”
Ely’s best chance came in the top of the seventh when the first two hitters reached base, but Pearce settled in and retired the next three batters to send his team on to state.
Esko was slated to take on Minnewaska Area on Friday in one of four state tournament quarterfinal games.
Ely, meanwhile, is looking ahead to 2025 when the state tournament will be held here. Post 248 will have an automatic bid.
“We have a lot to play for next season, knowing we will have a chance to play in a state tournament in our home ballpark,” said Coombe. “What an experience it will be for our returning guys.”
Four Ely players competed in their final game in a Legion uniform last week - Anderson, Marolt, Elliott Levens and Sam Leeson.
“All four played a lot of baseball in Ely the last several years and were part of some very good high school and Legion teams,” said Coombe. “They are going to be missed.”
