Softball Recap: Albert Lea Comes Up Short

Tigers

Team Score (Highest)

04/21/26 vs Austin	6
04/20/26 @ Stewartville	3
04/09/26 @ Century	3
04/07/26 vs Mayo	1

Albert Lea extended their losing streak (dating back to last season) to seven on Tuesday, dropping them down to 0-5. They were two runs away from ending the streak, but they lost an 8-6 heartbreaker at the hands of the Austin Packers. On the bright side, the six- run effort marked the Tigers' highest-scoring game to date.

Taylor Johnson spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three earned (and five unearned) runs on eight hits.

On the hitting side, Aliyah Heideman was cooking despite her team's loss, going 2-for-3 with three runs, three RBI, and one double. Hanna Austinson also deserves some recognition as she got her first hit of the season.

As for Austin, their win was their first in the conference, bumping their conference record up to 1-3 and their overall record up to 2-3. The victory continues a trend for them in their matchups with Albert Lea: they've now won three in a row.

On Austin's side, they also let their pitcher toss all seven innings and she was also dialed-in: Kaydence Schaefer gave up three earned (and three unearned) runs on six hits and racked up six Ks.

At the plate, the team relied heavily on Lexi Helgeson, who went 3-for-4 with three runs. Those three hits gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Avery Anderson, who went 2-for-3 with one run, one double, and one RBI.

We've got plenty of inter-conference action coming up soon. Albert Lea is set to square off against their familiar foe Mankato West at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. Meanwhile, Austin will take on rival John Marshall at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday.