Falls VFW baseball team defeats Hermantown, Rapids to open District 8 Tournament

Ben Humbert pitched the complete-game shutout, scattering two hits with three walks while striking out 10 over seven innings.

"Obviously, Benny pitched very, very well," said Falls VFW head coach Eric Walls. "Any game he's going to throw for us we're going to be in the contest, but we played some really nice defense."

The Falls played error-free baseball, while Hermantown committed four errors that proved costly when the Falls broke open a 1-0 lead with four runs in the fifth inning and three more in the sixth.

"If they make those couple plays, we're in a battle here," Walls said.

The Falls loaded the bases in the bottom of the fifth when Humbert singled on a long fly ball to center field. Hermantown had a chance to get out of the inning still down by only a run, but an error on the throwing play to first with two outs brought in two runs as Jack Bartkowski reached base safely. After Jackson Vollom walked to load the bases again, two more runs scored when Jake Kulig reached base on another error on the throw to first.

Six separate batters had one hit apiece for the Falls. Hermantown's Thomas Madison recorded the pitching loss.

I. Falls 10, G. Rapids 3

In the second game at Portage Park in Cohasset, the Falls erupted for 14 hits and defeated Grand Rapids, 10-3.

The game was tied at 3-3 before the Falls added three runs in the bottom of the fifth and four more in the sixth.

"We really started to hit the baseball there toward the end," Walls said. "We had a couple big hits. Kulig had a huge hit and Clay Bergstrom, too."

Kulig broke the tie in the bottom of the fifth when he doubled to drive in two runs, after which Bergstrom singled to drive in another run.

The Falls sent 10 batters to the plate in the sixth inning when Rapids starter Kyle Stram left the mound and was relieved by Jake Warren.

Bergstrom ended up with three hits and drove in three runs for the Falls.

Wyatt Ulrich recorded the complete-game pitching victory, allowing the three runs on four hits with three hit batters while striking out nine.

"Anytime you can come to a tournament and beat Hermantown and Grand Rapids in the same day, that's pretty darn good," Walls said.

The Falls advanced to the winners' bracket game Monday at Legion Field in Grand Rapids to face Esko, which opened the tournament Saturday with wins over Hibbing and Duluth East.

I. Falls 8, Herm. 0

Herm. 0-0-0 0-0-0 0 — 0 2 4

I. Falls 0-0-1 0-4-3 X — 8 6 0

WP—Ben Humbert

I. Falls 10, G. Rapids 3

G. Rapids 2-0-0 0-1-0 0 — 3 4 2

I. Falls     1-0-0 2-3-4 X — 10 14 1

WP—Wyatt Ulrich