Legion baseball team falls in 1st-round playoff game; will play again Friday

The Albert Lea American Legion baseball team went back and forth with Winona on Tuesday at Hayek Field. Post 56 had a five-run lead in the fourth inning, but it wasn’t enough as it lost 9-8.

Starting on the mound for Albert Lea was Brock Hammer. He pitched three full innings, allowing two runs. Hammer was relieved in the fourth inning by Parker Anderson, who pitched 1 2/3 innings and allowed four runs.

Alex Goodmanson and Cody Ball were each brought in during later innings. The duo combined for three strikeouts and allowed three runs.

Post 56 got the scoring started early with one run in the first. The run came after an RBI single from Ben Witham.

Winona would answer right back with a run of its own due to a throwing error. It would take the lead in the third with an RBI double from Jake French.

Albert Lea took a big lead in the bottom of the third, thanks to RBIs from Goodmanson, Alex Bledsoe, Parker Mullenbach and Jake Bordewick. Post 56 would lead 5-2 after the inning.

Albert Lea would tack on two more runs in the fourth inning, thanks to a two-RBI double from Mullenbach.

With a 7-2 lead, it seemed Post 56 had a comfortable distance between itself and Winona. However, Winona would come rallying with huge fifth and sixth innings. In those two innings, Winona scored six runs due to a host of hits, walks and one error.

Taking an 8-7 lead into the eighth, Winona added another run to its score after an RBI home run from Austin Lenhardt.

Albert Lea would make things interesting in the ninth inning after a throwing error brought across one run. However, it wouldn’t be able to bring the tying run home, leaving two runners on base.

Post 56 scored eight runs on 10 hits and five errors. Winona scored nine runs on 11 hits and five errors.

Albert Lea will play again at 10 a.m. Friday at Dartts Park in Owatonna in the American Legion Tournament.