The Albert Lea Colonels have played the Northfield Knights a number of times through the years, but not with much success.

Until Friday anyway.

“Tonight,” said manager Bill Trygstad, “was our night.”

He hopes it’s the start of a breakthrough year.

The Colonels, still young but with another year of amateur baseball experience, opened the 2003 season with an impressive 3-2 victory over Northfield at Hayek Field Friday night.

It was the sixth game of the year for a veteran Northfield squad that fell to 2-4 but had defeated Apple Valley, a 2002 state tournament team, and lost twice to another state power.

“Northfield’s got a nice team,” said Trygstad. “They were no slouches, that’s for sure. It’s great for the guys to start the year with a win. They were anxious to play.”

And they played well in all aspects and came through when it counted.

“We got the key hits when we needed them,” said Trygstad. “Our pitching was strong. Our defense was tough. It was just an overall real good game.”

It was also an overall team effort, according to Trygstad.

“We had 20 guys there, and 16 or 17 got into the game,” he said. “Everyone contributed, playing defense or whatever they did.”

Isaac Walton started and got the pitching win, giving up four hits through six innings, with four walks and five strikeouts. Both runs off him were unearned. Craig Smith earned a save, facing just 10 batters in the final three innings. He fanned three and walked one.

The Knights scored both their runs in the top of the third on a two-run single by Steve Gorka.

The Colonels came back with one in the bottom of the inning as Aric Attig singled, Brad Carlson walked and David Dahl knocked in Attig with a base hit.

In the fifth, Ryan Wangen reached on a fielder’s choice and, one out later, Jeff Schulz hit a shot down the third base line. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch and both scored on a double to deep left center field by Mick Westeng.

Attig was 2-for-3, Schulz 2-for-4. Dahl, Wangen and Westeng had the other Albert Lea hits.

The Colonels are off until Saturday, May 31, when they host Rochester in their Southern Minny League opener at 6 p.m. at Hayek Field.