The Albert Lea baseball team dropped one game out of first place in the Big Nine Conference standings with two losses Saturday at Mankato West.

The Tigers lost game one 18-6 and game two 14-4.

In game one, Albert Lea trailed 5-3 headed into the third inning. However, Mankato West caught fire with 13 runs in the bottom of the third to extend its lead.

“They hit the ball like crazy,” Albert Lea head coach Joe Sczublewski said. “We can’t get behind in the counts.”

Pitching into a 30 mph wind was Albert Lea’s Lucas Hansen, who took the mound for two innings. He allowed four hits and struck out one batter.

Leading the Tigers at the plate was Dylan See-Rockers, who was two for four with a double and two RBIs and Ryan McLaughlin, who was two for two with two runs scored.

In game two, the Tigers started well. They took a 3-2 lead into the second inning, and at the end of three innings the score was knotted at four. However, the Scarlets scored 10 unanswered runs in the final three innings to secure the win.

Makael Lunning led the Tigers on the mound and at the plate. He pitched four innings and was two for three at the plate with two RBIs and one run scored.

Ryan Schlichte and Devin Ries earned the pitching wins for Mankato West.

Despite its current three game slide on the heels of a four-game winning streak, Albert Lea is tied for second place in the conference standings with a record of 6-4, 6-5.

Winona leads the conference at 7-3, 7-3, and Faribault has the same amount of conference losses as Albert Lea.

Next, the Tigers play a doubleheader at Faribault at 4:30 p.m. today.