Albert Lea lost lead in 5th en route to 2nd consecutive loss

The Albert Lea Tigers baseball team uncharacteristically committed six errors Thursday in a 6-3 loss to the Rochester John Marshall Rockets at Hayek Field.

The loss puts the Tigers 1/2 game behind the Rockets in the Big Nine Standings and two games behind in the loss column. The Tigers have played three more conference games than the Rockets so far this season.

Trailing 2-1 after two innings, the Tigers rallied for a 3-2 lead entering the top of the fifth. The Rockets scored two runs to pull back ahead 4-3 and added an insurance run in each of the game’s final two innings.

The Rockets (10-2, 9-2 Big Nine) had nine hits and no errors compared to the Tigers’ (11-4, 10-4) six hits and six errors.

“They hit the ball,” Tigers coach Joe Sczublewski said. “We just had an off night in the field. We had been making those plays but unfortunately today we didn’t.”

Cody Haaland pitched seven innings for the Tigers and gave up three earned runs while striking out two and walking two.

Josh Eisenbraun led the Tigers offensively by going 2-for-3 with two RBIs. Cole Sorenson was 2-for-3 with two runs scored, and J.T. Bellrichard and Aaron Klatt were both 1-for-3.

The Tigers play again Tuesday in a doubleheader at Mankato East (1-11, 1-11). The Big Nine-leading Rockets play a doubleheader on Saturday in Austin (2-9, 1-8).

Rochester John Marshall 6, Albert Lea 3

JM 020 021 1 — 6 9 0

AL 010 200 0 — 3 6 6

WP — Patrick Windish 7 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 9 SO

LP — Cody Haaland 7 IP, 9 H, 6 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 SO

Albert Lea hitting: Josh Eisenbraun 2-3, 2 RBI; Cole Sorenson 2-3, 2 R; J.T. Bellrichard 1-3, RBI; Aaron Klatt 1-3, R