The only offense for the Albert Lea American Legion team Monday night against Waseca at Hayek Field seemed to be a poor Waseca defense.

Post 56 tallied just four hits in the game, but took advantage of three fielding miscues by Post 228 to seal a 5-2 victory.

With Albert Lea (4-2) trailing 2-0 in the fifth inning Jordan Cooper delivered the game-winning hit with the bases loaded to score three runs as Post 56 took a 3-2 lead.

It was just the third hit of the game for Albert Lea, which has struggled to find timely hits during the early season. It was an even big hit for Cooper, who entered the game with just three hits in the previous three games.

“Been struggling a little bit lately so it was nice to get a base hit and drive in some RBIs there,” Cooper said.

Cody Hansen led off the inning when he was hit by a pitch. Luke Grossman and Casey Woodside both reached on errors to load the bases for Cooper, who dropped a single into center field to score all three runs. Cooper advanced to second on the play, stole third and came around to score when Colby Strilaeff reached on an error.

“That’s good for him,” said Post 56 head coach Jack Kortan of Cooper’s hit. “He almost presses too hard and he gets too tight. So that was good to see. That might loosen him up.”

Albert Lea had other opportunities to break the game open but failed to cash in with the bases loaded and one out in the sixth inning and also left two runners on in the second inning.

Waseca grabbed the lead in the second inning when Chris Glynn hit an RBI double to score Dan Bomsta and added to the lead when Christian Hall drove in Danny Cromer, who reached on an error in the fourth inning.

Post 56 starter Logan Kortan allowed eight hits and worked out of a jam in the sixth when Post 228 put runners on second and third with one away. Kortan got Clint Larson to fly to shallow left and struck out Hall to end the inning. Kortan finished with 10 strikeouts and allowed just one earned run while not walking a hitter.

Jimmy Loonan had three of the eight hits as he finished the game 3-for-3 for Waseca.

“We just kind of battled back, got walks and got hits when we needed to. Took advantage of their mistakes,” Cooper said. “That was the big thing in this game I think.”

Albert Lea doesn’t play again until next Tuesday when it faces Rochester Mayo in a doubleheader in Rochester.

Albert Lea 5, Waseca 2

Waseca 001 100 0 — 2 8 4

Albert Lea 000 041 x — 5 4 1

WP — Logan Kortan 7 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 10 K

LP — Danny Cromer 6 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 3 K