EMMONS &045; Officially, it was an exhibition game between the Albert Lea VFW and Glenville-Emmons American Legion baseball teams.

It actuality, it was more like a playoff game.

With several players on both teams knowing each other, and Albert Lea adding some guys who would have played Legion ball if there had been a team here this summer, the action was intense as Glenville-Emmons claimed a 3-1 victory at Emmons Monday night.

Coach Louie Toulouse said it was one of the best games of the season for his team, which improved its record to 4-7.

&uot;It’s nice when the kids play the game the way it was played tonight,&uot; said Toulouse. &uot;We got good pitching, we played good defense, and when we got opportunities to score we got those runners in tonight, whereas other times we haven’t done that. We made the best of our opportunities.&uot;

The game was scoreless until the bottom of the third inning, when the home team took a 2-0 lead. Cole Thompson led off with a single, took second on an error and eventually scored on a sacrifice bunt by Michael Greibrok and another throwing error. Isaiah Parry followed with a double to score Greibrok.

Albert Lea’s run came in the sixth, when Nate Loberg walked, stole second, took third on a ground out by Pete Bracker and scored on a wild pitch.

G-E got an insurance run in the sixth. Wade Flattum walked, advanced on a balk and a bunt single by Devan Kaasa and scored when Josh Kluender’s fly ball was dropped in center field.

Parry, who attended school and played baseball in Albert Lea before open enrolling to G-E for his junior and senior year, was 1-for-1 with two walks. Flattum, Kaasa and Thompson had G-E’s other hits.

Zach Hansen and Dave Heijerman had the only hits for Post 447 off Flattum, who pitched all seven innings. He walked two and struck out two.

&uot;For him not having a lot of experience, he threw a lot of strikes, worked ahead in the count and made their batters hit good pitches,&uot; said Toulouse. &uot;And we played real good defense behind him.&uot;

Derek Goodnature was dominating at times for Albert Lea, finishing with 12 strikeouts and two walks in five innings. Hansen pitched the sixth.

&uot;We played pretty well,&uot; said Toulouse. &uot;For the most part, I think they played pretty well to. It’s just that we got a few more breaks and took advantage of them.&uot;

G-E plays tonight at Blooming Prairie at 6 p.m. and travels to New Richland Friday for a 7 p.m. game.

Post 447 plays Wednesday at 5 p.m. at Rochester Mayo.

Glenville-Emmons 3, Albert Lea 1

AL

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001

0 &045; 1

2

4

GE

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001

x &045; 3

4

2

WP &045; Wade Flattum

LP &045; Derek Goodnature