AUSTIN &045; After the fourth inning, the Albert Lea Tigers played some of their best softball of the year.

But they couldn’t make up for the start.

The Tigers committed 12 errors in the first four innings, spotting Rochester Century a 9-0 lead on the way to a 9-3 loss in the Section 1AAA tournament at Todd Park in Austin Friday night.

&uot;It’s hard to lose knowing we could do better,&uot; said coach Rick Harves. &uot;To come back showed a lot of character.&uot;

The Tigers had trouble defensively from the start, allowing five first-inning runs.

&uot;I don’t know what happened the first four innings,&uot; said Harves. &uot;If it could go wrong, it did go wrong. Things just seemed to turn when our bats came around. We played good ball the rest of the way.&uot;

The Tigers scored all three of their runs in the bottom of the fourth, stringing consecutive hits by Laura Olson, Jerri Mondeel, Amber Edwards, Nicole Rafdal and Jessica Hanson.

The other Albert Lea hits were a triple by Ashley Chrz and a double by Leah Boyer. Both were left stranded.

Rafdal started and finished on the mound for the Tigers, giving up nine hits and four walks. She struck out three.

The Tigers, who finished 5-16, graduate only two seniors, Olson and Danielle Jacobs.

Roch. Century 9, Albert Lea 3

Rochester Century

511

200

0 &045; 9

9

0

Albert Lea

000

300

0 &045; 3

7 12

LP &045; Nicole Rafdal