Tigers swept by reeling Panthers

Published 12:01 am Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Coming off a 17-0 loss to Rochester Mayo, the Rochester Century Panthers baseball team swept Albert Lea 6-1 and 2-0 in a doubleheader Monday in Rochester.

Tigers (6-2, 6-2 Big Nine) starting pitchers Aaron Klatt and Cole Sorenson pitched well enough to win but defense failed Klatt in Game 1 (six errors) and bats failed Sorenson in Game 2 (two hits).

“The pitching was great on both sides,” Tigers coach Joe Sczublewski said. “They took advantage of opportunities and we didn’t. That’s baseball.”

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Klatt gave up six runs in four innings in Game 1 but all were unearned. He struck out five batters and walked two.

“Aaron had them hitting the ball on the ground,” Sczublewski said. “We just couldn’t field the ball behind him. We squandered good pitching and it was kind of frustrating.”

Cody Haaland relieved Klatt for the final two innings and held the Panthers hitless.

Sorenson gave up two earned runs over six innings and five hits. He struck out five and walked one.

The Panthers’ (3-2, 3-2) pitchers combined to strikeout 16 batters and walk five.

Sorenson was the only Tigers batter with two hits over the doubleheader. Six other Tigers had one hit.

The Tigers best chance to score came in the third inning of Game 2 when Ethan Abben was thrown out at home plate on a close play.

The Tigers play again at 5 p.m. Thursday at Winona (3-3, 3-2). The Tigers beat Winona 5-3 in Albert Lea in their season opener on April 5.

Rochester Century 6, Albert Lea 1

AL 001 000 0 — 1 6 6

RC 300 300 x — 6 4 0

WP — Mitch Brown 6 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 9 SO

LP — Aaron Klatt 4 IP, 4 H, 6 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO

Rochester Century 2, Albert Lea 0

AL 000 000 0 — 0 2 0

RC 002 000 x — 2 5 2