It became clear during Monday’s game that Owatonna and Albert Lea might be rivals in more than wrestling.

The two teams met for the second time in as many days in a heated baseball game as the Tigers tried to stave off elimination and the Huskies tried to earn a trip to the Section 1AAA final four.

While Albert Lea (12-11) has dominated on the mat for the last four years, Owatonna (14-9) reigned on the diamond in a 7-4 victory that bounced the Tigers from the section playoffs.

“People talk about a rivalry with Austin or somebody like that, I think our big rival right now for our guys is Owatonna,” said Albert Lea head coach Joe Sczublewski. “It seems like a lot of friction both ways. A lot of feelings both ways.”

The Tigers graduate two seniors from this year’s squad and Huskies seven, but started four seniors Monday and appears the rivalry will be strong for the next few years.

Owatonna pushed three runs across in the fifth to break a 4-4 tie after Albert Lea battled back to tie the game twice. Junior Quinn Christenson scored the game-winning run on a single from Matt Simon and Neil Eddie came across to score after the ball got away from Albert Lea catcher Luke Grossman when he applied the tag to Christenson. Sam Zappa drove in Simon on a double to make the game 7-4.

“You gotta give our kids credit for battling back,” Sczublewski said. “If we could of just got that one out at the plate on that throw from right, it’s a whole different game.”

Albert Lea only found two hits during the next three innings and twice had runners in scoring position.

The Huskies jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning with just one ball hit out of the infield as the first five hitters reached base.

Tigers starter Logan Kortan plunked leadoff hitter Mitch Berg and Paul Satterlund and Quinn Christenson each followed with infield singles. Neil Eddie came through with a two-run single and Matt Simon hit a sacrifice fly for a 3-0 lead.

Albert Lea finally got on the board in the third inning when it took advantage of a pair of fielding miscues.

Jordan Mondeel, who had two hits in the game, ledoff with a double to right field. Luke Grossman hit a groundball to third base and Owatonna third baseman Quinn Christenson aired a throw into center field as he tried to get Mondeel in a run down. Mondeel scored on the play and Grossman advanced to second. Another error at third loaded the bases for Connor Kortan, who was hit by a pitch to bring in Grossman. Kortan went 2-for-3 after a 5-for-6 day Saturday.

One batter later Aaron Klatt hit a sacrifice fly to left that scored Logan Kortan.

The Tigers tied the game at 4 in the fourth when Mondeel scored on a wild pitch.

“We’ve got a fairly young team but we’re a competitive team,” Sczublewski said. “We had our ups and downs, but we don’t have to take a back seat to anyone. We play everyone tough.”

Owatonna 7, Albert Lea 4

Owatonna 300 130 0 — 7 12 2

Albert Lea 003 100 0 — 4 6 1

WP — Cody Johnson 5 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K

LP — Logan Kortan 7 IP, 11 H, 7 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 6 K