NASHWAUK — International Falls’ best season under head coach Vic Heinlen came to a stunning halt Thursday with a 7-1 loss to Esko in the Section 7AA tournament.
A win would’ve put the top-seeded Broncos in the final four round, but instead, the No. 5 Eskomos, who upset No. 4 Moose Lake-Willow River on Wednesday, sent the Broncos home early.
“I can’t believe it’s done,” Broncos senior Mike Menard said. “We worked really hard throughout the season. It’s tough.”
The Falls hasn’t advanced past the second round of the section tournament since 2001.
“They surprised us,” Menard added. “We knew they were a pretty good team. ... We knew what was coming. We just didn’t perform today.”
Esko went on to get crushed by Cloquet 19-5 in five innings Thursday night. Cloquet (15-7) now plays Mora (19-4) at 2 p.m. Tuesday in Hibbing in a rematch of last year’s section final. Two Harbors (18-4) battles Esko (12-10) in an elimination game at 4:30 p.m.
Eskomos starter Matt Tengesdal stymied the Broncos (15-4) in a complete game, nearly picking up a shutout. The senior allowed one unearned run — on a sacrifice fly with one out in the seventh — on six hits with two walks and five strikeouts.
“He did a good job on us, that’s all there is to it,” said Heinlen, in his ninth season.
Tengesdal dueled with Broncos starter Jacob Casareto until the top of the fifth inning. With the Eskomos up 1-0, Brett Johnson, Esko’s No. 9 hitter, ripped a leadoff double to fuel a big rally. Johnson, who had opened the season as a leadoff hitter, was marred in a giant slump before Thursday. And with each hit — he finished 3-for-3 with two runs — the Esko bench grew more and more enthusiastic.
“There’s no doubt about it, that was a big key,” Esko coach Ben Haugen said.
Johnson’s leadoff double opened the floodgates and silenced a Broncos dugout that rarely experienced failure this season. Richard Jubie followed with a line drive to center field that Daniel Eldien froze on, leading to an RBI triple. Ryan Vang then hit a line drive to left field that Ames Bryant froze on, leading to an RBI single. Tengesdal helped himself out next with an RBI double to make it 4-0, and following a hit by Jamie Stokes, Aaron Semerau’s RBI fielder’s choice made it 5-0. Broncos junior Chris Little tried to throw out Tengesdal at the plate from shortstop, but his throw and catcher Willie Corrin’s tag was late. Mitch Reuer capped the inning with a two-run single to make it 7-0.
Stokes finished 3-for-4 and Steve Lewis was 2-for-3. Esko pounded out a 12-hit attack.
“They had two big hits to keep those innings alive and that’s what didn’t happen to us,” Heinlen said. “We didn’t keep the innings alive.”
Casareto was chased with two outs in the fifth and took the loss, giving up seven runs on 10 hits with five strikeouts and one walk in 4 2-3 innings.
“I think we were fortunate to have that big inning, because he’s a good pitcher,” Haugen said.
The Broncos only run came in the seventh, when Jordan Christianson’s sacrifice fly plated Willie Corrin, who led the Broncos with three hits. Casareto was 2-for-3, while Little recorded the only other hit.
It was a surprising outcome to an impressive season.
“This team, it’s been steady all year,” Heinlen said. “What are we, 15-4? A lot of teams would take that. We just didn’t get it done on the night we needed to.”
