When the Albert Lea Colonels opened the season 1-5 while facing some of the toughest competition in the state, the hope was it would make the locals a better baseball team in the long run.

Apparently, it has.

The Colonels hosted defending Class B state champion Austin in the final regular season game and knocked off the Greyhounds 5-3 at Hayek Field Thursday night.

“It was a nice solid effort by everybody,” said Colonels manager Bill Trygstad. “The guys know if we play like we did tonight, we can compete with anybody. We’re looking forward to the playoffs.”

The Colonels, who finished 4-6 in the Southern Minny League, improved to 9-10 overall. They’re 8-5 in their last 13 games and will likely be seeded third among five teams in the upcoming playoffs, which could mean a trip to Austin for the first round Friday.

Thursday’s tight, hotly contested game – which the Colonels won despite being outhit 9-5 and having three errors to the Greyhounds’ one – surely served to intensify the rivalry between the teams.

“I was very happy with the way the guys competed tonight,” said Trygstad. “We were outhit, but this time we got the hits when we needed them, we got the walks when we needed them. It was a great team effort.”

It was also a gutsy pitching performance by Colonels right-hander Jeff Schulz, who worked out of several jams while going all nine innings. He gave up two earned runs, struck out four and walked three.

“It was an outstanding effort by Jeff,” said Trygstad. “He hadn’t pitched nine innings in a while. They left two guys on base three times, but it wasn’t really like he was in a lot of trouble. He pitched a strong game for us, and it was nice to see.”

Austin took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning, and it stayed 1-0 until the bottom of the fourth, when the Colonels scored twice. Brett Damerow led off with a single and, after Ryan Wangen lined out to the left fielder, Justin Kohn was hit by a pitch. Both advanced a base as Zac Oquist worked an eight-pitch at-bat, lining the final pitch into right field for a two-run single.

The Greyhounds answered with a run in the top of the fifth and took the lead with one in the seventh.

The Colonels won it with three in the bottom of the eighth. Damerow drew a leadoff walk, and Wangen was safe with a bunt that the pitcher fielded but pulled the first baseman off the bag with the throw for Austin’s only error of the night. Kohn singled to load the bases. Oquist followed with another tough at-bat, fouling off a pair of 3-2 pitches before coaxing a walk to force in a run. One out later Wangen scored when Mick Westeng hit into a fielder’s choice. Kohn came home on a wild pitch.

Five Colonels had one hit apiece, though Oquist had the biggest night going 1-for-2 with two walks and three RBIs. The other hits went to Damerow, Wangen, Kohn and Matt Trygstad.

The defensive play of the game for the Colonels came in the second, when Schulz snared a line drive up the middle and throw to first for a double play.

Bill Trygstad said the Colonels, who have had three games rained out, will try to reschedule a game for early next week to prepare for the league playoffs. Rochester will probably be the No. 1 seed, followed by Austin and Albert Lea. Faribault and Owatonna meet Wednesday in a single-elimination game for the fourth spot.

Colonels 5, Greyhounds 3

AU

100

010

100 – 3

9

1

AL

000

200

03x – 5

5

3

WP – Jeff Schulz