Softball Tigers shut down by JM

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, May 7, 2003

So many times this season, the offense was good enough to win but defense was the downfall for the Albert Lea High School softball team.

It was the other way around this time.

The Tigers played one of their best defensive games of the spring but could only manage six hits in a 6-2 Big Nine Conference loss to Rochester John Marshall at Hammer Field Tuesday.

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&uot;We played well,&uot; said Tigers coach Rick Harves. &uot;We played the first four innings real tough, but our bats were just cold. We had a hard time hitting the ball. Three errors is pretty good. We can overcome three errors. We’ve just got to hit the ball like we’re capable.&uot;

The Tigers took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning, when Leah Boyer walked and came around on a double by Nicole Rafdal.

John Marshall tied it in the fifth, took a 4-1 lead in the sixth and added two more in the seventh.

The Tigers’ other run came in the bottom of the seventh as Rafdal walked and scored when Amber Edwards’ hit to short left field was mishandled for the Rockets’ lone error.

Rafdal pitched another complete game for the Tigers, giving up 10 hits and one walk, with three strikeouts.

The Tigers, who walked twice and struck out three times, were led by Rafdal’s 2-2 performance at the plate. Boyer, Jerri Mondeel, Vanessa Storlie and Jess Hanson contributed one hit each.

&uot;We’ve just got to keep plugging away,&uot; said Harves.

The Tigers fell to 1-10 in the Big Nine and 2-12 overall with the loss. They host Rochester Mayo Friday. Monday’s game against Mankato East that was rained out was rescheduled for Thursday, May 15.

Rochester JM 6, Albert Lea 2

JM

000

013

2 &045; 6

10

1

AL

010

000

1 &045; 2

6

3

LP &045; Nicole Rafdal