The Albert Lea Tigers scored in every inning, collecting 14 hits while bringing 11 baserunners across the plate.

It wasn’t nearly enough.

Visiting Mankato East totaled 22 hits while defeating the Tigers 21-11 in a Big Nine baseball game at Hayek Field Thursday.

&uot;We hit the ball very well, but they hit better,&uot; said Tigers coach Joe Sczublewski, whose team fell to 1-4 overall and 1-3 in the conference.

The Cougars, who knocked off Big Nine favorite Rochester Century 12-2 Tuesday, improved to 2-1. Eleven of their hits Thursday went for extra bases: three home runs, two triples, six doubles.

The Cougars led 10-3 early, but the Tigers were within 12-10 before East broke it open with a nine-run seventh.

Jay Link started on the mound and absorbed the loss. Adam Highum, Derek Goodnature and Zach Christenson also pitched.

Andy Drenth was the Tigers’ top hitter, going 3-for-3 with one RBI and three runs scored. Link and Matt Bracker both had two hits and two RBIs. Christenson also had two hits. Scott Hoeg and Dave Heijerman each had a hit and two RBIs. Goodnature, Highum and Adam Wacholz added one hit apiece.

The Tigers play Saturday at 1 p.m. at Austin.

Mankato East

026

202

9 &045; 21

22

2

Albert Lea

111

412

1 &045; 11

14

2

LP &045; Jay Link