It seems like in just about every game this season, one bad inning has led to defeat for the Albert Lea Colonels.

Wednesday, July 11, 2001

It seems like in just about every game this season, one bad inning has led to defeat for the Albert Lea Colonels.

That wasn’t the case Tuesday.

There were two of them.

Visiting Austin scored six runs in the first inning and seven in the sixth while handing the Colonels a 15-5 loss in a Southern Minny League baseball game at Albert Lea’s Hayek Field.

The Greyhounds improved to 23-7 overall and 5-4 in the league while the young Colonels dropped to 0-14 and 0-8.

The biggest difference between the teams Tuesday was defense. The Greyhounds played errorless in the field while the Colonels committed eight errors, most of them in Austin’s big innings.

&uot;Austin is a very sound defensive team – they make very few mistakes,&uot; said Colonels manager Bill Trygstad. &uot;I don’t think Austin is unbeatable. We just have to play a very good game to beat them.&uot;

A bad start prevented it. The Colonels had an error on the first play, leading to Austin’s six runs.

&uot;We should have been out of that inning with no more than two runs,&uot; said Trygstad. &uot;And they got six. That’s what’s been happening to us this year.&uot;

Matt Trygstad hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the first, and the Colonels were within 7-5 after six innings. They left the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh, when the game ended by the 10-run rule.

Matt Trygstad and Brett Damerow were both 3-for-3. Brad Carlson, Bryan Baggett, Ryan Wangen and Craig Smith contributed one hit each.

Mike Piechowski absorbed the pitching loss, giving up 13 runs in 5 2/3 innings. Only five of the runs were earned. Adam Berge pitched in relief.

The Colonels play Saturday at Faribault and Sunday at Minnesota Lake.

Austin 15, Colonels 5

&160;Austin

&160;600

&160;107

1

&160;-15

&160;14

&160;0

&160;Albert Lea

&160;202

&160;010

0

&160;-5

&160;10

&160;8

LP – Mike Piechowski