A.L.’s See-Rockers strikes out 13 Winona batters

After practicing on the field twice in the first seven weeks of training, the Albert Lea baseball team hit the diamond Tuesday at Winona.

However, the Tiger’s fun was cut short due to a combination of cold and darkness, Albert Lea head coach Joe Sczublewski said.

Action stopped in the eighth inning with a 4-4 tie, and it will resume when Winona travels to Albert Lea for the May 20 regular- season finale.

Before the postponement, the Tigers’ pitching rotation excelled on the mound.

Senior Dylan See-Rockers pitched the first 5 1/3 innings for the Tigers. He struck out 13 batters and allowed only two earned runs.

“Dylan did an outstanding job,” Sczublewski said. “It’s the first game of the year, and he gave it all he had. He’s going to have a great year for us.”

Fellow senior hurler Lucas Hansen entered the game for 2 1/3 innings. He had to work out of bases-loaded situations in the sixth and eighth innings, Sczublewski said.

“Our pitching was strong, and we got some timely hits,” he said.

Leading the Tigers at the plate was Makael Lunning, Hansen and See-Rockers, each of whom thrived under pressure.

All four of Albert Lea’s runs were scored with two outs, Sczublewski said.

Lunning hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning, Hansen connected for an RBI single in the sixth and See-Rockers clubbed an RBI double in the seventh.

After going scoreless the first three innings, the Tigers warmed up at the plate.

“We left a few guys on base, but by the third or fourth time through the lineup, guys were making adjustments,” Sczublewski said.

The game was the second outing of the season for Winona. It was Albert Lea’s opener, after the first six matchups were postponed.

The Tigers are hoping for the weather to cooperate so they can play at Hayek Field in Albert Lea later in the week.

Barring bad weather, the Tigers will host Rochester John Marshall at 5 p.m. Thursday and a doubleheader against Rochester Mayo at 4 p.m. Friday.