The American Legion Baseball season continued on Wednesday night at Marcusen Park as Austin hosted the Rochester Athletics in its first meeting of the season.

Rochester pulled out a 6-5 victory in an outing the lasted 10 innings to win the first game, but Austin earned the split by defeating Rochester 4-2 in game two.

In the first game, Rochester jumped out ahead, scoring three runs in the top of the first inning and two more in the top of the third. Austin did not get its first run across the plate until the bottom of the fourth inning, when it closed the score to 5-1.

Persistent pitching from both teams dominated the game after that, and it was not until the bottom of the seventh inning when Austin rallied from behind to score four exciting runs to the game and send it into extra innings. The rally was highlighted by a three-run home run by Jim Knoebel and a run batted in single by Grant Lunning with two outs to tie the game at 5.

It was not until the 10th inning, when Rochester scored what would be the winning run, that any of the two teams offense would produce anything.

Austin dominated the shortened second game and was the first to score. In the bottom of the first inning, number two batter Grant Lunning singled with one out. Matt Johnson hit a solid double that allowed Lunning to score, after the ball got by Rochester second baseman Lee Anderson. Johnson advanced to third when the throw to home plate went by catcher John Jans.

Rochester picked up a lone run in the top of the fourth to tie the game at 1. But the tie was short lived, as Austin struck back in the bottom of the inning with three runs of its own to make it a 4-1 ball game. The Athletics produced some excitement in the top of the fourth inning, bringing six batters to the plate. After three base hits loaded the bases, starting pitcher Mike Leathers walked a run home to make it a 4-2 game. Nels Nelson pitched to the next two batters, striking out the first one and making the third out on an assist at first base to end the game.

Austin is now 2-1 on the season, and will play its next game on Saturday and Sunday at the Red Haddox Tournament in Bloomington.

Game one:

Rochester303

000

000

16

8

1

Austin000

100

400

05

8

2

Game two:

Rochester000

112

6

2

Austin100

3×4

6

0