Sorenson, Abben help Albert Lea baseball to perfect 5-0 start

Cole Sorenson earned a win in one game and a save in the other Thursday as the Albert Lea Tigers baseball team swept a doubleheader against the Faribault Falcons 9-3 and 11-6 at Hayek Field.

Sorenson allowed one earned run and five hits over a total of nine innings. He was also 5-for-8 at the plate with two RBIs.

After handling the Falcons (3-3, 2-3 Big Nine) in the first game, the Tigers (5-0, 5-0 Big Nine) trailed 6-5 in top of the fifth in Game 2.

With a runner on first and no outs, Tigers sophomore pitcher Ethan Abben relieved Dylan SeeRockers. Abben walked the first batter he faced, putting runners at first and second, before making a diving catch off a bunt attempt during the Falcons’ next at bat. Abben quickly threw to first base to double-up a runner heading toward second and then got the next batter to fly out to end the inning.

He wasn’t done there. With two outs in the bottom of the fifth still trailing 6-5, Abben hit a go-ahead, two-run single that turned out to be the game winner.

“Abben had an excellent second game,” Tigers coach Joe Sczublewski said. “He won the game for us.”

Abben earned the win and also went 3-for-3 from the plate.

Cody Haaland went 3-for-3 with an RBI for the Tigers in Game 1, and Makael Lunning went 2-for-3 with a double.

The Tigers play again at 5 p.m. Tuesday at Rochester John Marshall (1-1, 1-1 Big Nine).

Albert Lea 9, Faribault 3

FHS 003 000 0 — 3 5 2

AL 303 300 x — 9 11 2

WP — Cole Sorenson 7 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 7 SO

LP — Jack Helgeson 7 IP, 11 H, 9 R, 6 ER, 3 BB, 3 SO

Albert Lea 11, Faribault 6

FHS 000 240 0 — 6 7 5

AL 211 133 x — 11 9 1

WP — Ethan Abben 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 SO

LP — Matt Stocker 2/3 IP, 1 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 5 BB, 1 SO