‘By Jim Lutgens, Tribune Sports Editor

The season hasn’t started as hoped for the Albert Lea Colonels.

But manager Bill Trygstad expects it to get better.

“We’ve had trouble getting everybody there,” said manager Bill Trygstad. “Some of the guys haven’t been back from college yet, and we’re still figuring out who’s going to play where. It’s been a little frustrating, but our best games have been our last two games, so we figure we’ll be better from here on.”

The Colonels are 0-4 at this point, falling to some talented, veteran squads that started their seasons earlier than the Colonels.

According the Trygstad, the Colonels literally let the opener slip away 14-10 on a rainy night at Stewartville.

“We used four pitchers, and all of them had trouble holding onto the ball,” said Trygstad. “We had a lot of walks and wild pitches, especially in the late innings, and it got kind of ugly.”

Isaac Walton started and pitched six innings. Derek Anderson took the loss in relief.

The Colonels lost despite leading 9-4 after three innings and outhitting the home team 12-4.

Aric Attig led the offense, going 3-for-5 with three RBIs. Craig Smith was 3-for-6, David Dahl 2-for-3 with three walks, Zac Oquist 2-for-5.

“We were a little rusty, no doubt about it,” said Trygstad. “It was Stewartville’s eighth or ninth game.”

Six unearned runs were the difference in a 9-4 setback at Minnesota Lake.

Walton went 2-for-3 with two doubles, Oquist 1-for-1 with two RBIs and a walk. Attig, Matt Trygstad and Mick Westeng added one hit apiece.

Anderson pitched the first 3 2/3 innings and got the loss. Jay Link threw 3 1/3 innings of hitless relief, fanning seven and walking four.

Defense was the difference at Rochester as the Colonels fell 7-1 to the Royals, a perennial state tournament qualifier. Rochester turned three double plays and the Colonels committed four errors, all at crucial points.

Walton went 7 2/3 innings on the mound, giving up two earned runs on seven hits, with eight strikeouts and four walks. Smith allowed two hits in the final 1 1/3 inning.

“Their pitchers controlled us fairly well,” said Bill Trygstad. “Basically, it should have been a 2-1 game. Our errors came at the wrong time.”

Dahl was 2-for-3 with a walk. Matt Trygstad had a hit and drove in the Colonels’ run. Mike Caballero had the locals’ other hit.

Key hits were tough to come by for the Colonels at Blue Earth, where they were shut out 5-0 despite being outhit only 8-7 by the Pirates, a Class C state qualifier last year.

“The story of this game was they bunched their hits together,” said Bill Trygstad.

Their best chance to score was in the eighth, when they loaded the bases with one out, but a strikeout and a ground out ended the inning.

Dahl was 2-for-4. Adding one hit each were Smith, Walton, Attig, Ryan Wangen and Matt Felt.

Anderson started and pitched 5 2/3 innings, allowing four earned runs on seven hits. He struck out six and walked four.

“I think, as the season goes on, if we tighten up the defense and get the bats going, we’ll be O.K.,” said Bill Trygstad. “Our pitching has been decent so far.”

The Colonels face Minnesota Lake Wednesday at 7:30 at Hayek Field.

Stewartville 14, Colonels 10

Albert Lea

252

000

010 – 10

12

7

Stewartville

400

031

33x –

14

4

3

LP – Derek Anderson

Lakers 9, Colonels 4

Albert Lea

010

012

000 – 4

6

5

Minn. Lake

410

200

11x – 9

7

3

LP – Derek Anderson

Royals 7, Colonels 1

Rochester

000

012

040 – 7

9

2

Albert Lea

000

001

000 – 1

4

4

LP – Isaac Walton

Pirates 5, Colonels 0

Albert Lea

000

000

000 – 0

7

3

Blue Earth

202

001

00x – 5

8

2

LP – Derek Anderson