It was a tough time for the Albert Lea VFW baseball team to be without some key players.

With four regulars missing, the locals hosted a strong Rochester Century squad and lost both ends of a weekend doubleheader, 3-0 and 8-1 at Hayek Field.

“We were shorthanded,” said coach Matt Trygstad. “But you’ve got to give credit to the guys who had a chance to play for stepping up and playing hard.”

Peter Bracker pitched well in the opener, giving up three earned runs on eight hits, with one walk and two strikeouts.

Nate Goodnature, Jerrod Stadheim and Brandon Klukow had Albert Lea’s lone hits.

Game two was close until the fifth inning, when Century broke it open with four runs, adding one in the sixth.

Albert Lea’s run came in the second, when Jared Butler tripled and scored on a double by Alex Paul.

Goodnature started on the mound and took the loss, allowing three earned runs in four innings. He walked six and struck out four. Kris Pleiss threw one inning in relief, giving up three earned runs on three hits; he walked one. Arik Mattson went the final three frames, giving up one earned run on three hits, walking one and fanning two.

Albert Lea’s other hits were by Klukow and Ryan Truesdell.

“Rochester Century has a good program,” said Trygstad. “Bracker pitched a strong game again, holding them to three runs, and he wasn’t scheduled to pitch. He did a good job on short notice.”

The other weekend doubleheader, against Faribault, was rained out. No makeup date has been set.

The locals, 2-3 overall and 1-2 in the Western Division, host perennial power Waseca tonight at 5 p.m. at Hayek Field.

Rochester Century 3, Albert Lea 0

RC

101

001

0 – 3

8

1

AL

000

000

0 – 0

3

1

LP – Pete Bracker

Rochester Century 8, Albert Lea 1

RC

100

241

0 – 8

9

0

AL

010

000

0 – 1

4

3

LP – Nate Goodnature