The Algona baseball team is 1-0 to begin the season after rolling to an 11-2 win at Charles City on Tuesday night.
Aiden Ulrich pitched five dominant innings, allowing just 3 hits and 1 run while striking out 12 batters and walking 6. The only blemish on Ulrich’s box score was a bases loaded walk of Vinny Benning that brought in a run for Charles City in the 4th inning. Overall, 12 of the 15 outs recorded by Ulrich came by way of the K.
Tate Garman pitched the final two innings in relief, striking out the first five batters he faced before eventually allowing a two out baserunner to score on a balk in the 7th inning. Garman finished his outing allowing two hits and one run while striking out six in two innings. Garman and Ulrich combined to punch out 18 Charles City batters while issuing six walks.
Algona never trailed in the game, taking an immediate 1-0 lead in the first inning on a home run to left center field by Ulrich. Algona would lose out on a run, as the runner on base when Ulrich homered, Tate Slagle, was ruled to have never touched home plate while rounding the bases.
The Bulldogs continued to add to their lead, going up 4-0 with a three-run third inning, highlighted by a line drive RBI double over the center fielder’s head by Ulrich, as part of an inning that saw Algona send eight men to the plate.
Slagle, who reached base in all five plate appearances, ripped an RBI single in the fourth to give Algona a 5-0 lead, then blasted a three run homer that stayed inside the left field foul pole in the 5th inning, putting Algona ahead 10-1. Algona added their final run in the 7th, as a wild pitch scored Dawson Elsbecker from third base.
Sawyer Hanson picked up the loss, as the Comet starter pitched three innings, giving up four runs on four hits, walking three and striking out six.
Slagle, Ulrich, and Garman each finished with two hits for the Bulldogs, who return to action on May 16th at home against Spencer.
