The International Falls Legion baseball team got on the winning track Tuesday by opening the Division II Eighth District Tournament in Marble with a 5-0 victory over Moose Lake.
Ben Humbert struck out 15 batters and allowed only two hits when he pitched all seven innings to record the shutout win.
"Benny had good stuff (Tuesday)," said Falls Legion coach Jay Bartkowski. "He made it, probably, pretty easy for the rest of us."
The Post 66 Broncos, who ended up with 11 hits, scored their first run in the bottom of the second after Cole Miggins singled to short right field and reached home on a wild pitch by the Outlaws' Teddy Ryan, who worked the entire game.
"That takes a little less pressure off when you're playing with the lead," Bartkowski said. "That was nice."
The Falls extended its lead to 2-0 in the third inning when Jackson Vollom led off with a walk and scored on a single by Humbert.
"We seemed comfortable with a 2-0 lead, and we probably shouldn't have been that comfortable with a 2-0 lead," Bartkowski said. "But scraping a few more (runs) in the sixth, that sure helped."
The Post 66 Broncos picked up their final three runs in the bottom of the sixth when Tyler Coffield doubled and scored, Vollom singled and scored and Lane Skallman also singled and scored.
Vollom and Miggins led the Falls with two hits apiece, while Humbert drove in a team-high two runs.
The Falls advanced to Friday's winners' bracket game in Ely to face Milaca, which opened the double-elimination tournament Tuesday with a 3-2 victory over Taconite.
In the other half of the tournament bracket, Ely won its opening game Tuesday over Esko, 7-6, and Two Harbors picked up a 9-2 victory Tuesday over Deer River.
The district tournament concludes Sunday in Ely with the champion advancing to the state tournament Aug. 1-3 in Luverne.
Int'l Falls 5, Moose Lake 0
Moose Lake 0-0-0 0-0-0 0 — 0 2 3
Int'l Falls 0-1-1 0-0-3 X — 5 11 0
WP-Ben Humbert; LP-Teddy Ryan
