Duluth East's Elliot Schneider is heading back to the boys tennis state tournament after winning the Section 7AA singles title Thursday in Elk River.
Schneider repeated atop the section by outlasting Chisago Lakes' Thomas Gillach 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 in the championship match. The East senior had defeated Carter Stumne of Forest Lake in straight sets, 6-1, 6-2, in the semifinals earlier Thursday.
In doubles play, the Grand Rapids-Greenway duo of Ian Pallin and Matteo Garzini also are state-bound thanks to a pair of victories. They upended Elk River's Tyler Creelman and Ryan Hermanson 6-7(5), 6-3, 7-5 in the semis, then eased past Coon Rapids' Drew Grimmer and Aaron Bauer 6-0, 6-1 for the title.
The Section 7AA team tournament resumes Tuesday with the semifinals and finals.
BASEBALL
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Cloquet 4, Hibbing 3
Gavin Rasmussen was 3-for-3 and also earned the pitching win for the Lumberjacks, who snagged a key Section 7AAA win at home.
Ely 3, Nashwauk-Keewatin 2
The Spartans scored twice on wild pitches in the top of the seventh inning to force extras, only to watch the host Timberwolves win it in the eighth when Dalton Schreffler, who reached on an error, came across on Nils Deremee's base hit.
Two Harbors 6, Virginia 5
The host Agates were down two runs entering the bottom of the seventh, before loading the bases on three consecutive hit batsmen. A walk forced in one run, and Tim Luoma ended the game with a two-run single.
SOFTBALL
Nashwauk-Keewatin's Nelson fans 43
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Nashwauk-Keewatin's Aubrey Nelson had a punchout party during the Section 7A quarterfinals in Grand Rapids. The senior pitcher got things started by striking out 24 South Ridge batters in the Spartans' 2-1 victory in 12 innings. She went the distance, allowed four hits and didn't issue a walk.
Later in the day, Nelson picked up 19 more strikeouts while lifting Nashwauk-Keewatin past Silver Bay 4-0. She yielded two hits to the Mariners, and walked one.
The Spartans meet Cherry in a section semifinal winner's bracket game on Tuesday in Cloquet.
Virginia, Esko cruise in 7AA quarters
The Section 7AA bracket's two No. 1 seeds, Esko and Virginia, rolled to a pair of wins in Cloquet.
The Blue Devils walloped Mora 12-2 in six innings and surged late to down Proctor 10-3. Madeline Potts had six hits over the two games.
The Eskomos, meanwhile, blanked Two Harbors 14-0 in five innings and defeated International Falls 10-3. Davriana Horvath was a combined 5-for-6 with a homer and two doubles for the Eskomos, who face Virginia at 2 p.m. Tuesday in Grand Rapids.
