If hitting is contagious, then not hitting can be pandemic to a team as well.

The Albert Lea American Legion team has had spurts of offensive at times, but Friday there wasn’t much of a pulse as Post 56 fell 6-1 and 4-1 to Winona in a doubleheader at Hayek Field.

Albert Lea (5-6) had seven hits combined in the two games as bad swings produced easy outs for the Winona defense which left Post 56 head coach Jack Kortan wondering where the offense, which hit .299 as a team during the high school season, has gone.

“That’s not good,” said Kortan, whose team has 10 hits in its last three games. “You’re not going win very much, unless you shut them out.”

Post 56 has tallied six or more hits in four games this season and has gone 3-1 in those games. Albert Lea is 1-5 in games when it fails to collect six or more hits.

“If you look at our lineup we’ve got some good hitters,” Kortan said. “Hopefully they come around at the right time.”

The game concluded a busy week of baseball for the team. It was the fifth game of the week for the team and for many others who also play on the VFW team it was their 10th game in a week’s time.

Albert Lea held the lead for just two innings of the 14 played Friday and that came in the first inning of the first game when Jordan Cooper hit an RBI single to score Jordan Mondeel.

After the second inning Winona starter Jake Walther retired the next 13 hitters before giving up a leadoff walk to Casey Woodside in the seventh.

“Both these guys weren’t overpowering,” Kortan said. “We’re just guessing at pitches, took bad swings, not getting the bat head on the ball. I don’t know what it is. We’re making it easy on them.”

Post 56 had eight fly ball outs and struck out five times.

In the second game Albert Lea’s offense perked up to the tune of five hits but in a key situation in the sixth inning failed to find a hit.

With the bases loaded and no outs Colby Strilaeff grounded the first pitch he saw back to the pitcher, who started a 1-2-3 double play. On the very next pitch Aaron Klatt popped out to shortstop to end the inning.

The lone run Post 56 scored came when Luke Grossman stole second base and came around to score after Winona threw the ball away twice.

Winona got on the board in the second inning when Brandon Schmit hit a solo homer to right field that hit the top of the fence and bounced over.

Chance Speltz reached on an infield single and moved to third on two wild pitches before Devon Grosell lined a double to left center to score two runs. Grossel went 5-for-7 in the doubleheader.

Post 56 will have time to regroup this week as its next scheduled game is Thursday against Rochester Lourdes at Hayek Field.

Winona 6, Albert Lea 1

Winona 000 411 0 — 6 8 1

Albert Lea 100 000 0 — 1 2 2

WP — Jake Walther 7 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K

LP — Logan Kortan 5 2/3 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 2 ER, 5 BB, 4 K

Winona 4, Albert Lea 1

Winona 030 010 0 — 4 6 2

Albert Lea 010 000 0 — 1 5 2

WP — Jordan Ossefoort 7 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 2 K

LP — Luke Grossman 4 2/3 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 5 BB, 0 K