With most of the players returning from last year’s Class A state runner-up team, Cherry proved too much for Falls’ softball team to handle Tuesday at home.
Olivia Santee had the Broncos’ only hit off pitcher Shaina Novak as the Falls fell to Cherry, 11-0 in five innings.
“We had our hands full (Tuesday),” said Falls head coach Kevin Gordon. “We made some mistakes, defensively, early, and never quite seemed to get on the pitcher. We had a couple of runners on and weren’t able to knock them in.”
The Falls’ Morgan Bruess pitched all five innings and gave up 11 hits with a walk while striking out a batter.
Kirstin Lahti led Cherry at the plate with a pair of home runs and a double.
Falls at IRC Tournament
After beginning Friday’s eight-team Iron Range Conference softball tournament in Grand Rapids with a loss, International Falls won the final two games to win the consolation title.
The Broncos fell in the opening game to Hibbing, 16-11.
Falls outhit Hibbing, 13-12, with the Broncos’ Morgan Bruess, Sam Hams and Olivia Santee all batting 3-4 with a double apiece.
Bruess recorded the pitching loss.
I. Falls 14, Chisholm 4
The Broncos recorded 12 hits when they played their first game in the consolation bracket and defeated Chisholm, 14-4, in five innings.
Santee batted 3-3 with a triple. Cassie Tomczak went 2-4. Shawna Misner also tripled.
Falls’ winning pitcher, Freshman Teagan Anderson, allowed 6 hits with 3 walks while striking out six.
I. Falls 16, Mesabi East 3
Anderson gave up 8 hits and recorded her fourth pitching victory of the season in as many starts when the Broncos defeated Mesabi East for the consolation title, 16-3.
