The Albert Lea 15-and-under traveling baseball team bounced back from a season-opening loss to Quad Cities by winning its next two games, 13-1 over Austin and 6-2 over Waseca.

Quad Cities, comprised of New Richland, Hartland, Ellendale and Geneva, handed the locals a 7-3 setback in the opener.

Albert Lea struck first, scoring in the fourth thanks to aggressive base running by Kris Pleiss. Quad Cities successfully used the suicide squeeze to help score four runs in the fifth inning, adding three in the sixth. Albert Lea scored in the top of the seventh on a double by Jared Butler.

Nate Brackey, Preston Dahl and Trent Miller also contributed hits for the Eagles team.

Brandon Klukow pitched the first five innings and took the loss. Dahl and Brock Sorenson pitched in relief.

The locals had no trouble generating runs against Austin, scoring in every inning while ending it in the fifth by the 10-run rule.

Ryan Truesdell led the offense with two hits. Don Graves had a double. Other hits were provided by Sorenson, Dahl, Tony Dugstad, Pleiss and Greg Schulz.

Dugstad started the game on the mound and picked up the victory. Sorenson pitched two innings in relief.

Truesdell’s single and double paced Albert Lea against Waseca. Sorenson, Pleiss and Schulz contributed one hit apiece.

Dugstad got his second straight win on the mound with three strong innings to start the game. Graves closed the door on Waseca several times in the last four innings, recording nine strikeouts.