There was a brisk wind blowing in from right field, but Albert Lea High School baseball coach Joe Sczublewski didn’t think it was a factor.

Tuesday, April 16, 2002

There was a brisk wind blowing in from right field, but Albert Lea High School baseball coach Joe Sczublewski didn’t think it was a factor.

The pitchers were already blowing it by the batters.

Albert Lea’s Isaac Walton and Rochester Century’s Mike Badger locked up in a battle of veteran Big Nine pitchers Monday. Both threw three-hitters, but Badger kept the Tigers off the scoreboard as Century won 2-0 at Hayek Field.

&uot;It was just a couple excellent high school pitchers knocking heads,&uot; said ALHS coach Joe Sczublewski. &uot;They took advantage of their limited opportunities, and we didn’t. Isaac just had a little bit of a rougher start.&uot;

That’s when the Panthers plated both their runs, one in the first inning and one in the second.

Walton finished with seven strikeouts and three walks. Badger, also a senior, struck out four and didn’t walk a batter.

Andy Drenth, Matt Bracker and Jay Link singled off Badger for the Tigers’ hits.

Sczublewski said the Tigers had a number of excellent defensive plays, including two by shortstop David Heijerman and a running, over-the-shoulder catch by Zach Christianson.

The Panthers, rated No. 7 in the state in Class AA, improved their record to 5-0 while the Tigers dropped to 1-1 in the Big Nine and 1-2 overall.

&uot;They’re No. 7 in the state and they showed why,&uot; said Sczublewski. &uot;They’re a good ball team.&uot;

It was the start of a busy week for the Tigers, who travel to Rochester Mayo today for a 4:30 game, host Mankato East Thursday at 5 p.m. and play Saturday at 1 p.m. at Austin.

Roch. Century 110 000 0 – 2 3 0

Albert Lea 000 000 0 – 0 3 1

WP – Mike Badger

LP – Isaac Walton