Inclement weather causes area home games to be postponed

Published 3:49 am Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Rain wreaked havoc on the area’s high school sports schedule.

Every varsity home event in the Tribune’s seven-team coverage area scheduled for Tuesday was postponed.

After Albert Lea moved baseball and softball games against Red Wing from Tuesday to Wednesday, the Tigers had one varsity event slated for Tuesday: the boys’ tennis team’s home opener against Red Wing.

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It was postponed to 4 p.m. April 20.

Albert Lea coach Tom Dyrdal said the courts should be dry enough for practice today.

The Tigers’ next match will be Thursday at 4:30 p.m. at Faribault. Albert Lea won its season opener 5-2 last Thursday at Mankato East. Because of Tuesday’s postponement, the Tigers’ home opener will be against Rochester Century at 4:30 p.m. April 16.

Albert Lea baseball and softball coaches Joe Sczublewski and Dan Harms hope their playing surfaces dry out before today’s games.

The baseball team is scheduled to host Red Wing at 5 p.m., and the softball team is slated to play at 5 p.m. at Red Wing.

The Tigers’ baseball team practiced inside the gym at the high school on Tuesday.

Sczublewski said Hayek Field will need to pass inspection by groundskeeper Jay Enderson before the game, so it doesn’t get damaged.

“The field’s in great shape, but it was a little soft when we had our first practice out there on Monday,” he said. “You don’t want to be leaving footprints.”

Albert Lea’s softball team didn’t have practice Tuesday, but Harms prepared his team for the season with four-inning scrimmages last Tuesday at Fairmont.

“It was great to see our pitchers throw and our JV players playing up a bit,” Harms said. “This is actually the best spring (weather) that we’ve had in several years.”