Softball Game Preview: Albert Lea Tigers vs. Austin Packers

Albert Lea is 2-8 against Austin since April of 2015 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Tuesday. The Tigers will head out to square off against the Packers at 5:00 p.m. Neither of those teams managed to put together many runs in their previous contests, so the offenses might be a little more motivated than usual.

Albert Lea is headed into Tuesday's matchup looking for a big change in momentum after dropping their eighth straight game dating back to last season on Monday. They were a single run away from ending the streak, but they lost a 2-1 heartbreaker at the hands of Stewartville. That's two games in a row now that Albert Lea has lost by just one run.

Makenzie Johnson spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned runs on three hits.

On the hitting side, Albert Lea saw three different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Kiera Erickson, who went 1-for-3 with one double and one RBI. That double was Erickson's first of the season.

Meanwhile, Austin was not able to break out of their rough patch on Saturday as the team picked up their third straight loss. They took a 5-2 hit to the loss column at the hands of Red Wing.

Austin also let their pitcher toss all seven innings and she was also dialed-in: Kaydence Schaefer gave up five earned (and one unearned) runs on 11 hits.

At the plate, Katelyn Klouse and Lauren Bowe stepped up to the plate in a big way. Klouse scored a run and stole two bases while going 1-for-3, while Bowe scored a run and stole a base while going 2-for-2. Another player making a difference was Adilynn Cline, who scored a run while going 1-for-3.

Albert Lea's defeat dropped their record down to 0-5. As for Austin, they now have a losing record of 3-4.

Everything went Albert Lea's way against Austin when the teams last played back in May of 2024, as Albert Lea made off with an 11-1 victory. Do the Tigers have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Packers turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.