The Albert Lea softball team has really struggled to score runs. In the Tigers’ past three games, they have scored a total of four runs.

The offensive struggles continued Tuesday when the Tigers hosted the Owatonna Huskies.

A four-run top of the second inning was all the Huskies needed against Tigers starting pitcher Hannah Schilling, on their way to a 9-0 lead.

Both teams played to a scoreless first inning, but the Huskies got their bats clicking in the second inning. A lead-off walk followed by a single had the visitors in business. Kayla Johnson drove in the Huskies’ first run, then teammate Kianna Butler smacked a two-run double to left-center to make it 3-0. Butler’s double was swiftly followed by a Riley Sheehy RBI single.

In the third inning, things didn’t get better for Schilling and the Tigers. An error started the inning off on the wrong foot. After Schilling got an out, Johnson tripled home a run. Butler drove in her third run of the game with another double in the next at-bat.

The fourth inning saw one of the Tigers’ highlights when Dayna Edwards got a great read on a line-drive to shortstop. She laid out and made a spectacular diving catch to record the first out of the inning. In the next at-bat for the Huskies, Millie Wanous clobbered a home run to make it 7-0.

The loss is the sixth in a row for the Tigers.

They will look to get back on track when they host Mankato East in a doubleheader Thursday.

First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m., and the second game will take place 30 minutes after the end of the first game.