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Senior Blake Ulve fires a pitch in during the Section 1AAA game against Winona Saturday afternoon. Ulve pitched all seven innings, allowing zero runs three hits, while striking out six and walking two. Kelly Hendrickson/For the Albert Lea Tribune

Cam Davis makes the throw to first for an our Saturday in the 5-0 win over Winona. Kelly Hendrickson/For the Albert Lea Tribune

Jack Jellinger makes a running throw to first base Saturday afternoon. Kelly Hendrickson/For the Albert Lea Tribune

Catcher Cody Yokiel throws for an out against Winona Saturday at home. Kelly Hendrickson/For the Albert Lea Tribune

Ulve pitched a complete game Saturday in the opening round of the Section 1AAA tournment. Kelly Hendrickson/For the Albert Lea Tribune

Jellinger makes the catch for an out Saturday at home. Kelly Hendrickson/For the Albert Lea Tribune

Trevor Ball rips a two-run double Saturday against Winona. Kelly Hendrickson/For the Albert Lea Tribune

The Albert Lea baseball team punched its ticket to play in the championship bracket final on the road Tuesday night with a win over Jordan. 

The No. 3-seeded Tigers took on the No. 2 seed Hubmen after defeating Winona in the opening round. The Tigers built a lead through the opening innings of the game and held on despite a late rally attempt from the Hubmen, winning 5-3. 

Albert Lea struck early after a two-out triple by senior Jack Jellinger in the top of the first brought in fellow senior Trevor Ball, who walked earlier in the inning. Defensively, the Tigers allowed three baserunners through the first two innings, two on walks and one on an error. 

Back-to-back singles by juniors Cam Davis and Brennan Bakken to start the third gave the Tigers even more momentum before Davis came around to score on an error by the Hubmen. 

The Albert Lea defense continued to hold in the bottom of the third, allowing their offense to add another run to the lead in the top of the fourth. The run came after early singles by seniors Ethan Ball and Cody Yokiel put two runners in position, followed by another error by the Hubmen that brought in one run. 

Another error in the fifth allowed the Tigers to score again, followed by a bases-loaded walk that put Albert Lea up 5-0. 

It was in the sixth inning when the Hubmen put some pressure on the Tigers, loading the bases with three consecutive walks to start the inning. A fielder’s choice allowed one run to score for the Hubmen and was followed by a ground out and a single that scored two more. A pop fly to left field ended the inning before any more damage could be done. 

Jordan put two runners aboard with one out in the bottom of the seventh, but a strikeout and ground out ended the game before either run scored. 

Senior Carter Miller started on the mound for the Tigers, pitching 5.0 innings, allowing three runs on one hit while striking out four and walking eight. Trevor Ball came in for relief in the sixth inning and pitched 2.0 innings, allowing zero runs on one hit while striking out one and walking three. 

The Tigers scored five runs on seven hits and recorded two errors. The Hubmen scored three runs on two hits and committed three errors. 

The Tigers are now 10-10 on the season and move on to take on the Byron Bears Saturday at Red Wing. The Bears beat the Tigers 4-3 in their only other matchup this season. Since the tournament is double elimination, the loser of that game will fall into the consolation bracket where they will have to win one more game to move into the championship game. The winner would move directly to the championship game where they would have to be beaten twice by the consolation winner.

About Tyler Julson

Tyler Julson covers sports for the Albert Lea Tribune.

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