REGIONAL—With winter conditions still lingering up north, the Timberwolves kicked off their 2025 baseball season last weekend with a two-game swing through southern Minnesota that showed both promise and challenges ahead.
Ely 3, Kenyon-Wanamingo 2
Hunter Halbakken was electric on the mound in the Wolves’ season opener at Kenyon, further cementing his position as Ely’s ace following a 3-2 win over the Knights.
The senior right-hander retired the first 15 batters he faced, not allowing a baserunner through five innings while striking out six. It appears Halbakken is starting right where he left off last season when he recorded 31 strikeouts and an ERA of 1.91.
Offensively, the Wolves were first on the board thanks to second inning hits from Halbakken and Jace Huntbatch, which set the stage. Caid Chittum walked to load the bases, then Drew Johnson delivered in the clutch, ripping a two-run single to give Ely an early lead. While the Wolves would go on to leave the bases loaded in that inning—and five innings overall with multiple runners stranded—they still managed to put pressure on Kenyon throughout the game.
A Jack Davies single in the sixth led to a key insurance run, driven in by a Sean Merriman infield hit.
Kenyon mounted a threat in the bottom of the sixth, finally breaking through with three hits and two walks to trim the lead to one, but Chittum came in to close the door in the seventh. He struck out two to earn the save and preserve the 3-2 season-opening win.
“Hunter really gave us a boost Friday,” said Ely Head Coach Frank Ivancich. “Seventeen straight outs to start the season is incredible. We did a solid job getting guys on base, even though we left too many stranded. Early in the season, the bats are usually behind, so that wasn’t unexpected.”
Hayfield 11, Ely 1
Saturday’s matchup against an impressive Hayfield squad told a different story, as the Wolves fell 11-1 in six innings.
Ely did get on the board early, with Drew Johnson scoring in the first inning on an RBI single by Owen Marolt. But once again, the Wolves left the bases loaded, unable to capitalize on a chance to build momentum.
Hayfield responded quickly, tying the game in the bottom half of the frame and adding two unearned runs in the third. A pair of costly pick-offs ended a potential Ely rally, and the Wolves never regained their footing.
Chittum started on the mound for Ely, working four innings and giving up five runs on eight hits while striking out four. Marolt took over on the mound in the fifth, surrendering six runs on five hits with four walks over the final two innings.
Offensively, Marolt led the way with three hits, while Tyde Brecke and Evan Leeson each added one. Still, it wasn’t enough to overcome Hayfield’s 13-hit offensive onslaught.
Defensively, the Wolves were sound, committing just a couple of errors over the two games. Against Hayfield, however, too many free passes—six walks and hit batters—came back to haunt them.
“They were just better than us,” McDonald acknowledged. “But we’re going to get better. Half our starters are playing varsity for the first time, so there’s going to be an adjustment period.”
Sitting at 1-1 on the young season, Ely will be back in action Thursday when they take on Littlefork-Big Falls at Aurora. First pitch is set for 1:30 p.m.