After scoring only a single run over 14 innings Thursday, the International Falls softball team split the two games it played in the double-elimination portion of the Section 7AA Tournament in Cohasset.
In game one, the No. 3-seeded Broncos didn't score until the top of the seventh when Ashley Jonson singled to drive in Janet Humbert for a 1-0 victory over No. 2-seeded Moose Lake/Willow River.
“The girls played very well defensively,” said Falls head coach Kevin Gordon. “Teagan (Anderson) pitched well. The girls played with confidence all the way through the game.
“We hit the ball a couple of times and didn't score, but we had runners on towards the last couple of innings. We were able to get a runner on second and Ashley Jonson hits one over the infield and we get that run and go out and shut them down in the bottom of the seventh.”
The game marked the first time this season the Broncos faced the Rebels, who were then eliminated from the tournament Thursday by Esko, 7-2.
HAWKS 6, BRONCOS 0
In game two, the Falls tallied only three hits when the Broncos were shut out by top-seeded Hermantown, 6-0.
“Hermantown was a little more offensively skilled team,” Gordon said. “We made a couple of errors in the field that gave up some unearned runs and that kind of hurt us (Thursday).”
The Hawks were able to plate two runs with two outs in the bottom of the first after Jordyn Thomas reached base on an infield single and Jillayne Gilbert hit a fly ball that fell in short right field. Both scored when Brooke Dahlin hit a ground ball through legs of Falls shortstop Cassie Tomczak.
Hermantown scored again in the bottom of the second when a fielder's choice grounder hit by Tess Johnson with the bases loaded drove in another run.
The Broncos threatened to score in the top of the third when Hawks pitcher Kylie Hoff walked two batters and a two-out single by Tomczak loaded the bases. However, Hermantown got out of the inning when Falls first baseman Meghan Tomczak struck out for the final out.
The Hawks took advantage of another infield error in the bottom of the third with two outs after Ashley Irwin reached base on an off-target throw to first to put runners on second and third. Allison Samberg then singled to bring both runners in and extend Hermantown's lead to 5-0.
A pair of doubles by Dahlin and Irwin produced the Hawks' final run in the bottom of the fifth.
Anderson allowed six hits and three walks while striking out a single batter over six innings in recording the pitching loss.
The Broncos, whose season record now stands at 9-6, resume tournament action at noon Tuesday in Cloquet for a losers' bracket game against No. 2-seeded Virginia.
Hermantown advances to the winners' bracket game at 2 p.m. Tuesday against top-seeded Pequot Lakes.
Game 1
I. Falls 1, ML/WR 0
I. Falls 0-0-0 0-0-0 1 – 1
ML/WR 0-0-0 0-0-0 0 – 0
Game 2
Herm. 6, I. Falls 0
I. Falls 0-0-0 0-0-0 0 – 0
Herm. 2-1-2 0-0-0 X – 6
