The Albert Lea softball team completed its most difficult stretch of games Tuesday against Big Nine leader Mankato East in Albert Lea with a pair of losses, but there were some encouraging signs in the defeats.

The Cougars (15-1, 13-0 Big Nine) won the first game of the doubleheader 9-3 and the second game 13-7 but the Tigers displayed resiliency in both contests.

Albert Lea (5-13, 1-13) jumped out to a 2-0 lead after the first inning behind a Kristine Kelly RBI single and a Lauren Klick groundout, but Mankato East came back for two runs in the second and one in the third to take a 3-1 lead.

The Cougars added four runs in the third and two in the seventh.

In the second game Mankato East grabbed a 11-2 lead after the fourth inning, but the Tigers didn’t give in.

Albert Lea responded with three runs in the fifth and two in the sixth before falling.

“We played a lot better today than in the last week or two,” said Tigers head coach Chad Feikema.

Jenna Christensen went 2-for-4 with two RBIs in the second game while Kelly had a 3-for-4 night at the plate with two RBIs. Klick went 2-for-4 and Laura Gaudian had a two-run single in the sixth inning.

The Cougars pounded out 20 hits in the second game while Albert Lea had nine.

The Tigers host Owatonna in a doubleheader Thursday.

Mankato East 9, Albert Lea 3

Mankato East 021 400 2 — 9 14 0

Albert Lea 200 001 0 — 3 6 0

WP — Nicole Ries 7 IP, 6 H, 2 BB, 5 K

LP — Nichelle Klatt 7 IP, 9 R, 9 ER, 7 BB, 3 K

Mankato East 13, Albert Lea 7

Albert Lea 002 032 0 —  7 9 2

Mankato East 130 711 x — 13 20 1

WP — Nicole Hoffman 7 IP, 9 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 2 BB, 7 K

LP — Lana Howe 6 IP, 20 H, 13 R, 4 BB, 1 K