For six innings, it was an even ballgame.

The other one made all the difference in the world.

Visiting Owatonna plated seven runs in the top of the fifth inning Tuesday and defeated Albert Lea 12-5 in a Big Nine baseball game at Hayek Field.

&uot;They kind of broke it open with that one big inning,&uot; said Tigers coach Joe Sczublewski. &uot;They hit the ball real well.&uot;

The Tigers led 2-0 after three innings, but the Huskies took a 3-2 edge in the fourth before exploding in the fifth and adding two more in the sixth. The Tigers rallied for a run in the bottom of the sixth and two in the seventh.

Jared Butler was 3-for-4 with a double and four RBIs for Albert Lea. Travis Klatt and Nate Goodnature went 2-for-3. Brandon Klukow and Ryan Truesdell also hit safely.

Donald Graves started on the mound and pitched well before tiring in the fifth. Tony Dugstad, Preston Dahl and Josh Diaz pitched in relief.

Goodnature played a strong defensive game at shortstop, according to Sczublewski.

The Tigers, 2-11, face Winona in a doubleheader Thursday at 4 and 6 p.m. at Hayek Field.

Owatonna 12, Albert Lea 5

OW

000

372

0 &045; 12

13

1

AL

002

001

2 &045;

5

9

1

LP &045; Donald Graves