Two members of the Albert Lea High School baseball team earned Big Nine Conference recognition for the 2004 season.

Ryan Truesdell was voted to the first team. Jared Butler received honorable mention. Both are juniors.

Truesdell played several positions for the Tigers, who finished 2-20 overall, including catcher, shortstop and outfield. He led the team with a .328 batting average, 10 runs scored, eight doubles, one triple, two home runs and an on-base percentage of .429. He also pitched 17 innings.

&uot;Ryan had a solid year,&uot; said ALHS coach Joe Sczublewski.

Butler, an outfielder, was the Tigers’ top RBI man with 10, batting .316 with four doubles and seven runs scored.

&uot;He covers a lot of ground in the outfield and had a lot of big RBIs for us,&uot; said Sczublewski.

The all-conference team is determined by a vote of the Big Nine coaches, who cannot vote for their own players.

The Dick Speltz Player of the Year Award was shared by Aaron Craig of Rochester Century and Jake Wilson of Owatonna.

Keith Kangas of Century was the Coach of the Year.

The 2004 all-conference team, by school:

– Austin &045; Nate Johnson, sr.; Joe Kroc, sr.;

– Albert Lea &045; Ryan Truesdell, jr.;

– Faribault &045; Ryan Cross, sr.; Pat Smith, sr.;

– Mankato East &045; Jeff Davey, sr.; Chris Ward, soph.;

– Mankato West &045; Marcus Duenes, sr.; Brad Walsh, jr.; Chase Brown, soph.; Jared Roberts, sr.;

– Owatonna &045; Brian Simon, sr.; Jake Wilson, sr.;

– Rochester Century &045; Lee Anderson, sr.; Aaron Craig, sr.; Justin Garza, sr.; Ronnie Olson, jr.;

– Rochester John Marshall &045; Ben Schafer, sr.; Tom Corcoran, sr.; Greg Polt, sr.;

– Rochester Mayo &045; Matt Penz, sr.; Jon Aaland, jr.; Andy Leisen, jr.; Ben Gerlesberger, jr.; Aaron Senne, soph.;

– Winona &045; Aaron Merchlewitz, sr.