Before the Albert Lea Colonels could move on the Faribault Lakers Friday the storm clouds rolled in and the game ended in a 7-5 loss for the Colonels in the top of the seventh inning.

Albert Lea (8-8) had just scored two runs in the sixth inning to pull within one run before the Lakers came back with a run in the bottom half of the sixth to extend the lead to two, but the Colonels had a runner on first with two outs before the rain started to pour.

“Personally I was disappointed that we weren’t able to finish the game because it’s a horrible way to lose a game,” Albert Lea first baseman Ryan Wangen said. “I would really love to come right here and finish it, but that’s not the way it works.”

The game was a see-saw affair all throughout. The Colonels spotted Faribault two runs in the second inning, but came back with three runs of their own in the third to take the lead.

Center fielder Mitch Wenum led off the third with a single and after Wangen flew out, Zac Oquist walked to start the threat. After a double steal put Wenum and Oquist in scoring position, designated hitter Arik Matson knocked them both in with a double. Catcher Casey Woodside drove Matson home on a single and Albert Lea held a 3-2 lead.

It wouldn’t last though as the Lakers came back in the fourth to score four runs and chase starter Derek Anderson. Josh Jordahl retired the side, but not before allowing an RBI single to Faribault’s Nick Rost. Rost finished the game 3-for-3 with two RBIs.

The Colonels had a chance in the sixth to add more runs when they loaded the bases with no outs, but two RBI groundouts and another groundout to third was all they could find in the frame.

“It was a competitive game,” Albert Lea manager Bill Trygstad said. “They got a few more hits than we did, but we played pretty well overall.”

The Lakers accounted for 11 hits while the Colonels had four. Albert Lea made the most of the baserunners it did get as the team drew five walks and two later crossed the plate.

“The guys did a nice job of getting some basehits and scoring some runs,” Wangen said.

Anderson threw 3 1/3 innings, allowing four runs on eight hits and striking out three. He allowed just one walk.

“I thought that Derek Anderson did a really nice job of throwing strikes,” Wangen said.

Trygstad and Wangen just wished the team had a chance to finish the game.

“We didn’t play bad, we just didn’t have enough innings,” Trygstad said.

Faribault 7, Albert Lea 5, 6 innings

Albert Lea – 003 002 – 5 4 4

Faribault – 020 401 – 7 11 2

WP – Nick Rost 5 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 3 K

LP – Derek Anderson 3 1/3 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 4 ER,

1 BB, 4 K