The opportunity for International Falls’ VFW baseball team to fill in for Ely on Friday also provided an opportunity for Ben Humbert to throw for perfection.
Humbert struck out 15, including the first nine at the plate, as he faced the minimum number of 21 batters over seven innings when Superior, Wis., was unable to get anyone on base and lost to the Falls, 7-0, at the VFW tournament in Grand Rapids.
“He was consistently ahead of the hitters and kept them off balance,” said Falls VFW head coach Tim Mellstrom. “Wyatt Ulrich did a good job of catching and calling the game.”
Mellstrom noted the closest Superior got to getting on base was in the seventh inning when Cole Miggins made a diving catch on a short fly ball to center field.
Falls tallied 9 hits with Ulrich having three and Humbert and Jack Mellstrom accounting for two each.
I. Falls 7, Greenway 5
In the opening tournament game, the Falls scored two runs in the top of the seventh to defeat Greenway, 7-5.
Miggins started on the mound for the Falls and gave up 4 runs on 3 hits working the first three innings. Luke Spilde allowed a run scattering 4 hits in the final four innings to pick up the pitching victory.
Falls tallied 8 hits, including three from Jack Bartkowski, who also had 3 RBI.
Falls initially wasn’t scheduled to be in this year’s tournament at Grand Rapids, but got to play in place of Ely, which had to forgo the opening two games on Friday because of Ely High School’s varsity team playing late last week in the Class A MSHSL State Baseball Tournament.
I. Falls 4, Mesabi East 3
On Monday, the Falls split a doubleheader at Aurora against Mesabi East.
In the opening game used for tournament seeding purposes and going the full seven innings, Falls defeated Mesabi East, 4-3.
Ulrich recorded the pitching victory as he allowed all 3 runs and 3 hits working the first 5 2/3 innings. Spilde pitched 1 1/3 innings of shutout relief.
Of Falls’ 9 hits, Spilde, Humbert and Rylan Henrickson had two apiece.
Mesabi East 5,
I. Falls 3
Hits were scarce and errors were aplenty for the Falls when Mesabi East won the second game, 5-3, in five innings.
The Falls, which had only 2 hits with one each coming from Ulrich and Andrew Snyder, committed 7 errors, including four in the bottom of the fourth.
Jack Mellstrom pitched all four innings for the Falls in a losing effort as he allowed 5 runs on 3 hits.
“The big thing is winning the first game for seeding purposes,” Tim Mellstrom said. “I thought we pitched well both games.”
The Falls is now 6-2 overall and 3-0 in games that count toward tournament seeding at the end of the regular season.
Following today’s doubleheader at Deer River, the Falls is scheduled to be back at Scheela Field on Thursday to host a twin bill against Virginia starting at 2 p.m.
Grand Rapids Tournament
Game one
I. Falls 7, Greenway 5
I. Falls 0-2-0 1-2-0 2 — 7
Greenway 3-1-0 0-1-0 0 — 5
WP—Luke Spilde
Game two
I. Falls 7, Superior 0
Superior 0-0-0 0-0-0 0 — 0
I. Falls 0-1-1 0-5-0 X — 7
WP—Ben Humbert
Monday’s doubleheader
Game one
I. Falls 4, Mesabi East 3
I. Falls 2-0-1 1-0-0 0 — 4
Mesabi 0-0-0 2-1-0 0 — 3
WP—Wyatt Ulrich
Game two
Mesabi East 5, I. Falls 3
I. Falls 0-0-0 1-2 — 3
Mesabi 1-2-0 2-X — 5
LP—Jack Mellstrom
