Manager Bill Trygstad is convinced the Albert Lea Colonels will be improved this season and, in their second game of the year, they were.

But they’re still looking for a win.

A night after dropping the opener 12-5 to Blue Earth, Albert Lea’s amateur baseball team played 12 tough innings but lost a 3-2 marathon to Minnesota Lake at Hayek Field.

“It’s a tough loss,” said Trygstad. “We just didn’t get the hits when we needed them. We had chances to win the game many times.”

Adam Berge certainly gave them a chance. A right-hander from Northwood who pitched at North Iowa Area Community College the last two years, Berge went all 12 innings on the mound, scattering eight hits while not allowing an earned run. He struck out 13 and walked eight.

“At times he was overpowering against a very good hitting team,” said Trygstad. “They were 6-2 coming in. That’s a lot longer than I’d like to leave a pitcher in there, but he still had good stuff and he wanted to keep going.”

The Colonels couldn’t get their bats going when it counted, stranding the leadoff batter in each of the last five innings. Twice they had the first two batters on base. Albert Lea left 16 stranded for the game.

Trailing 1-0, the Colonels tied it in the third when David Dahl doubled, Matt Trygstad singled and Brett Damerow hit a sacrifice fly. Minnesota Lake answered with a run in the top of the fourth and it remained 2-1 until the eighth. Justin Kohn singled to lead off, James Gonzalez bunted him to second and Aric Attig hit into a fielder’s choice. Kohn scored on a wild pitch.

The winning run reached on a one-out error in the 12th. Travis Wermedal singled and, after a stolen base and walk to load the bases, Mike Wedin hit a sharp grounder into a drawn-in infield to score the run on a fielder’s choice.

Matt Trygstad was 2-for-4 for the Colonels. Dahl, Damerow, Kohn, Gonzalez and Phil Wacholz each had one hit.

Ryan Kimm started and pitched seven innings for Minnesota Lake. Wermedal, a United South Central graduate, went the final five for the win. They combined to walk 11 and strike out 11.

“I think the fans saw quite a different game than Friday night,” said Trygstad. “We had a good turnout, and I hope the people keep coming. I truly expect us to be better this year, and we are.”

The Colonels open Southern Minny League play Thursday at 7:30 against the Austin Greyhounds at Hayek Field.

Minnesota Lake 3, Colonels 2

Minn. Lake

001 100 000 001 – 3

8

0

Albert Lea

001 000 010 000 – 2

7

5

LP – Adam Berge