The Albert Lea Knights 14AAA baseball team captured second place at the Minnesota Sports Federation state tournament from July 25 to 27 in Big Lake, according to a press release.

The Knights started pool play with an 8-8 tie against the Brooklyn Park Blaze. Albert Lea continued with wins over Edina Gold, 9-7, and Richfield, 8-1, to advance to bracket play.

In bracket play, Albert Lea took down St. Cloud 2-1 behind the pitching of Alex Bledsoe. He struck out five batters and gave up only one run over 6 1/3 innings. Dillan Lein took the mound in the sixth to earn the save. Albert Lea’s offense came alive in the bottom of the sixth when Bledsoe reached base on an error, and Zach Edwards took advantage by driving a fastball over the left fielder’s head for a double that scored Bledsoe. Bergan Lundak followed with a bloop single to shallow left field that scored Edwards.

The semifinal matchup featured Albert Lea and New Prague. The Knights scored three runs in the bottom of the first when Lein drove in Jacob Bordewick, Edwards, and Lundak with a double. The game was tied in the bottom of the seventh when a one-out double by Bordewick put the winning run in scoring position. Bordewick advanced to third on a groundout to shortstop by Bledsoe. Lundak produced the walk-off win by hitting the first pitch he saw past the New Prague’s second baseman.

The Knights’ quest for a championship ended with a 3-1 loss to the Apple Valley Eagles. Tyler Harms, Brady Solie, and Lein combined to limit Apple Valley to 3 runs. Albert Lea’s run was scored in the fifth inning. Alex Goodmanson started the Knights with a one-out single. Harms advanced him to second with a single, and Bordewick followed with an RBI single.