The International Falls Legion baseball team went 1-2 at last weekend's "Land of the Loon" tournament at Stock Field in Virginia to finish in fourth place.
“We pitched the ball and we defended pretty well,” said Falls coach Jay Bartkowski. “The one thing we need to do (better) is hit.”
The Post 66 Broncos opened the tournament Friday by defeating Superior, 7-1.
Ben Humbert struck out 11 batters over seven innings in recording the pitching victory. He allowed an earned run on three hits with four walks.
At the plate, the Falls tallied 11 hits with four players – Humbert, Wyatt Ulrich, Gunnar Anderson and Jake Kulig – recording two hits apiece. Humbert doubled and Ulrich scored three runs.
HIBBING 2, FALLS 1
In Saturday's semifinal game, the Post 66 Broncos led by a run after three innings, but gave up a pair of runs in the top of the fourth and ended up losing to Hibbing, 2-1.
Falls' first scoring opportunity to come up short in the bottom of second involved Cole Miggins hitting a deep fly ball that went off the center fielder's glove and Jack Bartkowski heading for home plate, where he was tagged out by Hibbing catcher Tyler Carlson to retire the side.
The Falls took a 1-0 lead in the third inning when Ulrich led off with a walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch, reached third on a ground out by Caleb Dahlin and scored on a single by Humbert.
Dahlin, who played Legion baseball at Hibbing last year, pitched all seven innings for the Falls in recording the loss. The only two hits he gave up occurred in the top of the fourth when Hibbing scored both of its runs.
Dahlin ended up striking out nine Hibbing batters.
The Falls, which tallied four hits for the game, loaded the bases with three walks in the bottom of the fourth, but Hibbing pitcher Ethan Bayless was able to work his way out of the jam when Ulrich grounded out to retire the side.
Ricky Brant then pitched the final three shutout innings for Hibbing.
HERMANTOWN 5, FALLS 2
The Post 66 Broncos lost Sunday's third-place game to Hermantown, 5-2.
The Falls, which took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third, gave up all five runs in the bottom of the fifth.
Ulrich pitched the first five innings in recording the loss, allowing all five runs, three earned, on six hits with a walk while striking out two. Jack Bartkowski pitched the sixth inning in relief, giving up a hit and a walk.
At the plate, Ulrich recorded two of the Falls' three hits with a run scored. Kulig accounted for the other hit and run.
FALLS 8, ML/WR 1
The Post 66 Broncos also played a conference game Saturday at Pengilly, where they defeated Moose Lake/Willow River, 8-1.
Miggins pitched all seven innings to record the victory, allowing an earned run on eight hits with a walk while striking out two.
The Falls recorded six hits with Ulrich doubling and Anderson driving in two runs.
The Post 66 Broncos are scheduled to host their first home game of the season at 6 p.m. Monday against conference opponent Deer River. That game will be preceded by Falls' VFW team also playing Deer River at Scheela Field.
Friday's game
Int'l Falls 7, Superior 1
Int'l Falls 2-0-2 2-0-1-0 – 7 11 0
Superior 0-0-0 0-1-0 0 – 1 3 2
Saturday's game
Hibbing 2, Int'l Falls 1
Hibbing 0-0-0 2-0-0 0 – 2 2 1
Int'l Falls 0-0-1 0-0-0 0 – 1 4 2
Sunday's game
Hermantown 5, Int'l Falls 2
Int'l Falls 0-0-1 0-0-1 0 – 2 3 2
Hermantown 0-0-0 0-5-0 X – 5 7 0
Conference game
Int'l Falls 8, ML/WR 1
ML/WR 0-0-1 0-0-0 0 – 1 8 2
Int'l Falls 1-1-0 2-0-4 X – 8 6 1
