The lack of success the Albert Lea American Legion baseball team experienced through out the season has little importance right now.

Post 56 won its second consecutive game Thursday when it defeated Rochester 11-9 in eight innings in Rochester in its last regular season game.

“This is the time you want to play your best ball,” Albert Lea coach Boyd Eisenbraun said.

Post 56 is coming on at the right time and its been largely due to the offense, something Albert Lea lacked early in the season.

Thursday night Post 56 cranked out a season-high 16 hits against four different Eagles’ pitchers.

“They were just on the ball tonight,” Eisenbraun said. “Everybody in the lineup had a hit.”

The last two games have showcased a lineup capable of putting up big numbers on the scoreboard. Eisenbraun believes his team is starting to see the ball a lot better at the plate and some players that didn’t see much playing time in the spring are starting to hit their stride.

Jared Gavle was among the hitters that started slow for Albert Lea, but came up big Thursday night when he drove in the winning runs with his third double of the game. Gavle finished 3-for-4 with two RBIs.

“He’s kind of struggled the first part and now he’s hitting the ball a little more,” Eisenbraun said.

Post 56 jumped out to a 9-1 lead after four innings, but Rochester slowly started to come back in the late innings. In the fifth the Eagles scored four runs, three of which came on a three-run homer. Then in the seventh Rochester loaded the bases and tied the game when Joel Eisenbraun gave up a walk.

Albert Lea didn’t panic after the momentum had shift towards the Eagles as the game went into extra innings.

“Everybody was really fired up during the middle of the game,” Eisenbraun said. “They said ‘We have to score some runs,’ and they pulled it out.”

Gavle and the Nos. 4-7 hitters accounted for the majority of the offense as that part of the order combined for nine hits.

“The bottom of the lineup was the strong part of the lineup,” Eisenbraun said.

Anthony Tippett started on the mound for Post 56 and pitched six effective innings before being lifted in the seventh with one out. Tippett struck out five hitters and scattered nine hits as he held Rochester in check most of the way.

Albert Lea 11, Rochester 9, 8 innings

Albert Lea – 205 200 02 – 11 16 2

Rochester – 100 040 40 – 9 10 2

WP – Joel Eisenbraun 1 1/3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K