Faribault VFW snaps 3-game win streak with loss at Albert Lea

The Faribault VFW baseball team had a busy week, playing four straight days after four days of rest.

After starting the season 2-2, Faribault won three straight games from Monday to Wednesday before falling to Albert Lea on Thursday night. Faribault outscored their opponents 34-4 during the win streak.

Versus Rochester JM

Faribault faced off against Rochester JM at home on Wednesday night after winning against Owatonna Tuesday 12-3.

Faribault got the roll early as they took a 2-0 lead in the first thanks to hits by Gavin Erickson and Dom Erickson. They then added to their lead in the third Grant Koch singled to score two runs. The score at the end of the third was 6-0 due to an error and a wild pitch by JM scored two more runs.

Faribault scored three in the bottom of the fourth to give them a commanding 9-0 lead, which ended up being the final score. Atley Qualey pitched for Faribault and went the entirety of the game, only giving up 3 hits. Qualey also walked as a hitter in the game, scoring a run.

Faribault had a great offensive night to back up Qualey’s pitching, as Gavin Erickson and Grant Koch had multiple hits in the contest. Koch drove in four runs on three hits, with him scoring twice as well. Erickson went 2-3 and reached base on an error, allowing him to score all three times he got on base.

Stolen bases was also a key factor in the success of Faribault’s offense, as they stole eight bases in the game, with Dom Erickson and Gavin Erickson both stealing multiple bases.

Faribault’s defense was also on point Wednesday night, as it committed no errors and turned two double plays, helping Qualey to shut out JM.

At Albert Lea

Faribault looked to continue their dominance against Albert Lea on the road Thursday night.

Faribault struck first in the second inning, with a walk to Atley Qualey scoring a run. However, Faribault’s 1-0 early lead was the only lead it had in the game, as Albert Lea quickly tied the game up in the bottom half of the second.

The Tigers took the lead in the fourth inning with a single scoring two runs and an error by Faribault also scoring two runs. The rest of the game was scoreless, as Albert Lea beat Faribault 5-1.

Grant Koch pitched for Faribault and went 5⅔ innings, surrendering two earned runs. Errors cost the Falcons the game, as they had two of them that allowed runs scored, while they outhit Albert Lea 4-3.

Faribault fell to 5-3 on the season after the loss and will take on the Winona VFW Buddies 16U team in a doubleheader in Winona on Saturday starting at 11 a.m.