AURORA- A big day for Zoe MacKenzie powered the Ely Timberwolves to a 9-6 comeback win over Mesabi East on Friday, as the Wolves’ hurler drove in four runs on three hits, including a solo home run.
MacKenzie sparked the Timberwolves’ offense in the fourth with a sizzling line drive four-bagger over the center field fence to tie the game at 1-1 after an early error had put Mesabi East on the board.
Mesabi East regained the lead in the bottom half of the inning on an RBI double but the Wolves tied things up again in the fifth, capitalizing on a wild pitch that brought Ella Perish across the plate to knot it at 2-2.
In true slugfest fashion, the Giants punched back in the bottom of the fifth with a solo homer and another RBI double to take a 4-2 advantage.
With the Wolves up in the top of the sixth, MacKenzie came through again, lining a single up the middle that scored Rylee Larsen and Peyton Huntington to even the game at 4-4.
Mesabi East threw another counterpunch in the bottom half of the inning, scratching out two more runs to take a 6-4 lead into the final inning.
That’s when Ely delivered the knockout combination blows.
The Wolves exploded for five runs in the top of the seventh. Julia Zgonc came out of the corner swinging with a lead-off single, and Huntington drew a one-out walk. MacKenzie collected her fourth RBI with a single that scored Zgonc. Clare Thomas smashed a single to center that brought Huntington across the plate to tie the score at 6-6. Perish delivered the go-ahead blow with a clutch two-run single that made it 8-6, and a Maija Mattson single added another RBI for a 9-6 advantage.
Mesabi East was poised to answer back after drawing back-to-back walks in the bottom of the seventh, but the Wolves snuffed out the Giants’ hopes with three straight outs to get the win.
MacKenzie went the distance on the mound for Ely, allowing six runs on eight hits while striking out five and walking three.