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Ely’s high school softball team took down a giant on Monday afternoon.
Visiting International Falls was handed its first defeat by the surging Timberwolves, who scored a 5-4 victory and won for the fifth time in six contests.
Sophomore pitcher Zoe MacKenzie kept the previously unbeaten, Class AA Broncos off balance, limiting them to four hits while striking out three.
Ely also overcame some fielding miscues to limit the damage and contain the visitors.
Ely, meanwhile, got a big boost at the plate from Ella Perish, who ripped a threerun double in the first, singled in a run in the third, and doubled and scored in the fifth.
That run in the fifth proved pivotal as it extended an Ely lead and allowed the Wolves to hold off the Broncos in the final frame.
Clare Thomas added two hits for the Wolves while Hannah Penke scored twice.
The win helped ease some of the sting of a May 3, 18-8 home defeat to South Ridge.
The Wolves overcame a double-digit deficit to pull within four runs, but South Ridge countered with six runs in the fifth to seal things.
Amelia Penke singled in two runs for the Wolves, while both Perish and Maija Mattson scored twice.
MacKenize got a day off in the pitching circle but drove in two runs at the plate, and Amelia Penke was tagged with the pitching loss.
• The Wolves overcame an early 6-1 deficit and rallied to beat North Woods 12-9 in a May 2 home clash.
A two-run single by MacKenzie put the Wolves in front to stay in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Grace Flynn and Brielle Lindland singled in runs in the sixth for insurance.
Hannah Penke had a solo home run for the Wolves and finished with two hits and three runs scored. Perish went three-for-four and Thomas scored twice.
MacKenzie overcame a rough start to get the win. She scattered 12 hits and recorded six strikeouts.
• The Wolves host Mt. Iron-Buhl at 2:30 p.m. Monday as the final week of the regular season begins.
Road games with Littlefork- Big Falls and Two Harbors are followed by a May 18 home finale with Floodwood.
