Falls’ VFW baseball team played two different teams twice at last weekend’s Sub-District Tournament and ended up with two different results.

The Falls won both games against Hibbing and lost twice against Grand Rapids to earn the tournament’s No. 2 seed and advance to the VFW District Tournament set to begin Aug. 1 in Grand Rapids.

“We played fairly well,” said Falls head coach Eric Walls. “We were a little bit overmatched with Grand Rapids — they have several older kids, where we have mostly younger kids....

“Overall, it was a pretty good weekend. The goal was to get to the District Tournament, and we made it there.”

Grand Rapids picked up the tournament’s No. 1 seed by going undefeated in all three games it played Friday through Sunday.

Hibbing also earned a spot in next week’s eight-team, double-elimination District Tournament as the Sub-District’s No. 3 seed.

Hibbing bounced back from Friday’s 3-0 loss to the Falls with the pair of victories on Saturday to eliminate the other two teams in the Sub-District Tournament’s field of five, Chisholm and Nashwauk-Keewatin.

Falls started the tournament with Caleb Dahlin picking up the pitching victory against Hibbing. Falls scored twice in the third inning and once more in the fifth.

In Saturday’s game against Grand Rapids, Gunnar Anderson lasted only two innings on the mound for the Falls after allowing six runs.

Grand Rapids pitcher Grant Carlisle threw a no-hitter en route to a 10-0 victory in six innings as Falls could only gets runners on base via walks.

“They have some pretty outstanding pitching,” Walls said. “If we’re going to beat Grand Rapids at any level, we’ve got to play a near perfect game right now.”

Falls earned a rematch against Grand Rapids by defeating Hibbing, 8-7, in the first of two games on Sunday.

Anderson returned to the mound and shut out Hibbing in the first four innings, after which Falls led 6-0.

Dahlin recorded a bunt single to drive in Ryan Kilbride for Falls’ first run in the second inning. Hibbing committed some costly fielding errors that contributed to Falls being able to add three runs in the third and two more in the fourth.

Hibbing picked up two runs on four hits in the fifth, which was Anderson’s final inning pitching. Josh Potter took the mound for the Falls in the final two innings as Hibbing scored twice in the sixth and three more times in the seventh to lead by a run.

Falls waged a comeback in the final frame as four straight singles produced two runs. After Anderson scored on a wild pitch to tie the game, Dahlin drove home Ryan Kilbride for the game-winner.

“(The comeback) showed some good character from the boys,” Walls said. “We were ahead the whole game, and then we gave on one big hit (a triple) with two guys on base, but the boys stepped up in the seventh inning and pulled it out.”

Dahlin started the final game against Grand Rapids, which chased him from the mound after two innings leading 4-0.

Grand Rapids ended up shutting out the Falls for the second time in two days, 9-0.

Walls said the Falls, which played only a few VFW baseball games at home this summer, benefited by being able to host this year’s Sub-District Tournament.

“The more baseball games we can get up to I’Falls, the better,” he said. “We have a tough time getting teams to come up here for regular season games half the time, but (the Sub-District Tournament is) nice. It’s a good event. We appreciate all the support we got from all the VFW guys to cook and help us run the concession stand, so it was great.”

July 22 Results

I’Falls 3, Hibbing 0

Hibb. 0-0-0 0-0-0 0 — 0

Falls 0-0-2 0-1-0 X — 3

July 23 Results

Grand Rapids 10, I’Falls 0

I’Falls 0-0-0 0-0-0 — 0

GR 0-6-0 2-1-1 — 10

July 24 Results

I’Falls 8, Hibbing 7

Hibb. 0-0-0 0-2-2 3 — 7

I’Falls 0-1-3 2-0-0 2 — 8

Grand Rapids 9. I’Falls 0

I’Falls 0-0-0 0-0-0 0 — 0

GR 0-4-1 3-1-0 X — 9