The New Richland Reds did it to the Albert Lea Colonels again.

But again, the Colonels will get a chance for revenge.

The Colonels lost yet another frustrating one-run game, squandering a 7-1 lead while falling 9-8 to the visiting Reds in amateur baseball action at Hayek Field Friday night. Last year the Reds also rallied from a big deficit to beat the Colonels 16-15, though Albert Lea took the rematch 5-4.

This time it looked like the Colonels would break it open early, but the Reds put four runs on the board in the top of the third inning to pull within 7-5. Albert Lea scored its final run in the fourth and led 8-5 until the eighth, when the visitors put up another four-spot.

“It was frustrating,” said Colonels manager Bill Trygstad. “The guys were frustrated to lose it that way, but that’s the way it goes sometimes. It’s our fifth one-run loss. We’ve got to find a way to win those – we’ve been letting them get away lately. But you’ve got to give credit to New Richland. They were down early. Getting four in the third was big for them.”

But the eighth was bigger.

Josh Otto drew a leadoff walk and Shane Thorson singled off Derek Anderson, who was replaced at that point by Brad Carlson. He walked Josh Delger, and Dusty Reese followed with a two-run single to right field. Reese was out when Vinnie VanEnglenburg hit into a fielder’s choice, but the tying run scored. Josh Churchill sacrificed VanEnglenburg to third and, on a 2-2 count, Tony Schlaak hit a dribbler toward the mound and beat it out for an infield single that turned out to be the gamewinning hit.

The Colonels stranded 12 baserunners, leaving two on base in the second, third, fourth, seventh and ninth.

“We had a lot of chances with guys on base,” said Trygstad. “We just didn’t get the hit when we needed it. We had nine hits in the first four innings, then we just kind of quit hitting. We’re looking forward to going to New Richland and playing them again.”

Craig smith started on the mound for the Colonels and pitched into the third, when he left with an injury. Anderson went 4 2/3 innings. Carlson finished on the mound and took the loss.

The Reds used five pitchers – Otto, Seth Stadheim, Delger, Josh Churchill and Ryan Barnick. Delger went two innings for the win. Barnick got a save. The five combined for 11 walks and four strikeouts.

Justin Kohn led the Colonels’ offense, going 2-for-4 with two doubles and two RBIs. Andrew Greibrok was 2-for-3, Phil Wacholz 2-for-5 with one RBI. Isaac Walton, Matt Trygstad, David Dahl and Aric Attig each had one hit.

Thorson was 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI for the Reds. Schlaak was 2-for-4. The other New Richland hits were by Jason Churchill, Stadheim and Reese.

The Colonels, 3-8 overall and 2-4 in the Southern Minny League, return to league play tonight with a 7 p.m. game at Mankato.

Reds 9, Colonels 8

NR0

140 000 040 – 9

8

3

AL

340 100 000 – 8

10

2

WP – Josh Delger

LP – Brad Carlson