Cyclones doomed by walks and errors at No. 2 St. Albert

 COUNCIL BLUFFS (June 10) -- A somewhat promising start was derailed by more free bases Thursday night as the Harlan Community baseball team lost a 10-4 decision at 2nd-ranked (1A) St. Albert.
 HCHS took early leads of 1-0 in the first and 3-2 in the top of the third before the Falcons answered with a four-run third (all unearned) and two runs each in the fourth and fifth.
 The Cyclones issued eight walks and committed four errors to go along with five wild pitches (two that let in runs) and two passed balls.
 St. Albert, which improved to 11-5 overall and 5-3 in Hawkeye Ten Conference play, only outhit Harlan 8-7 as both sides plated three earned runs. HCHS dropped to 4-6 overall and 3-4 in the H-10 prior to Monday’s varsity doubleheader at Glenwood.
 “We got out of the gate well. That’s something we have talked about a lot: setting the tone for the game,” stated HCHS head coach Heath Stein. “But we have found out that little things and giving up more free bases can really turn the momentum of the ball game.
 “We are a third of the way through our season, so hopefully these are growing pains and we start to make game-by-game, week-by-week improvements as the postseason is roughly five weeks away.”
 Positives for the Cyclones vs. St. Albert included six stolen bases - two each by Jared Moser and Cade Sears - and some good early at-bats against left-handed Falcon starter Eric Matthai.
 Isaiah Ahrenholtz doubled with two out in the first inning and scored on an RBI single by the hot-hitting Alex Monson.
 Then in the top of the third, Sears, Moser, Luke Musich and Monson all singled and three of the four stole a base as HCHS took its final lead at 3-2.
 The Cyclones drew seven walks the rest of the way off Matthai and reliever Jaxson Lehnen, but they would add just one run and no hits. The game ended with a bases-loaded double play in the seventh.
 HCHS starting pitcher Franz Reisz (0-2) surrendered single runs in the first two innings and did not make it out of the third, allowing two hits, four walks and five runs (one earned) in his two and a third.
 St. Albert scored four runs in the third on just one hit, aided by three Cyclone errors and two walks.
 Teagon Kasperbauer relieved Reisz and finished the third on the mound before Quinn Koesters pitched the final three innings, allowing five hits and four runs (two earned).
 Cy Patterson belted a two-run homer in the fourth for St. Albert while a walk and an error set the stage for two more Falcon runs in the fifth. Patterson had three RBI on the night and already has 34 in just 16 games. Isaac Sherrill added a double, a single and a sacrifice fly and Carter White had two hits and two runs scored.
 HCHS was led offensively by Monson’s two-hit game. Koesters, Musich and Kelby Lasher each drew a pair of walks.
 Following Monday’s twin bill at Glenwood, the Cyclones will host Denison-Schleswig Tuesday night and Kuemper Catholic Thursday, looking to avenge early-season losses against both squads.