After sweeping a Rochester team Saturday in a doubleheader, the Albert Lea VFW baseball team had a harder time with the Rochester Rockets Monday in a doubleheader at Hayek Field.

The Tigers beat Rochester Century 11-1 and 9-8 for a 2-0 weekend, but all that came to a screeching halt in the second game of a doubleheader against the Rockets.

The Tigers won the first game 6-3, but fell in a sloppy second game 16-11.

Colby Strileaff continued his tear at the plate in the first game with a bases clearing double to the alley in right center that scored two runs in the first inning. Strileaff tripled in his next at-bat and singled in his last at-bat, which drove in a run. He finished the game 3-for-3 with three RBIs.

Luke Grossman looked sharp on the mound mixing in a good curveball with a strong fastball to keep Rocket hitters off-balance.

“We dominated the first game,” Albert Lea coach Jack Kortan said.

But in the second game the Rochester bats teed-off against Albert Lea starter Carter Kortan, tagging him for nine runs on 10 hits in three innings of work.

The defense didn’t help matters as it committed six errors in the game and the Tigers fell behind 7-0 after 3 1/2 innings.

Albert Lea struck for three in the third, but the Rockets added five in the fourth to cruise to victory.

“We made a good comeback,” Kortan said.

Kortan had few pitching options because Albert Lea has a doubleheader Wednesday and plays in a tournament Saturday and said he wanted to save two pitchers for the next few games.

Albert Lea 6, Rochester 3, Game 1

Rochester – 000 012 0 – 3 7 3

Albert Lea – 302 100 x – 6 6 1

WP – Luke Grossman 5 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K

Rochester 16, Albert Lea 11, Game 2

Rochester – 252 500 2 – 16 14 4

Albert Lea – 003 143 0 – 11 13 6

LP – Carter Kortan 3 IP, 10 H, 9 R, 0 BB, 5 K