SHAKOPEE — The Greyhounds came back from a big hole, but couldn’t hang on in a 13-9 loss to Mankato in the first round of the Class ‘B’ state amateur baseball tournament Sunday at Joe Schleper Stadium.

The loss, which ends Austin’s season, was due to Mankato (19-5 overall) scoring five runs in the bottom of the eighth.

The Hounds (11-19 overall) led 9-8 going into the frame, but their ace, Dave Meyer, allowed a run scoring single to Jay Nessler that gave Mankato a one-run lead and he also allowed a run scoring single to Travis Helling, before giving up a two-run homer to Dave Allen. Nick Dolan came in to get the last two outs of the inning.

Meyer’s pitch count was high coming into the sixth as the Twins racked up six runs on six hits in the first inning off the ace.

“At the end of the seventh, I thought I’d push it for one more and then let (Nick) Dolan come in,” Meyer said. “I should’ve came out after the seventh, but I’m competitive and it’s Mankato. You always get up for Mankato. Unfortunately I really did not throw well.”

Meyer said Allen’s homer came from frustration.

“It wasn’t even really fatigue,” he said. “These guys worked so hard all year and after they tied it up, I was like ‘I’m letting my team down.’ Instead of pitching I was just throwing.”

The Hounds made up an early 6-1 deficit in the third inning when they scored six times to take an 8-6 lead. After Tim Kaplan and Dan Wiechmann each knocked in a run with a couple of soft singles, Mitch Mullenbach loaded the bases with a blooper and John Frein cleared the bases with a booming double to the left field gap. Frein scored on a wild pitch after advancing from second to third on a wild throw.

“When they took a five run lead, we knew we were still in the game if we chipped back a couple of runs,” Greyhounds third baseman Matt Cano, who knocked in a run in the first inning, said. “When you get the bases loaded and get momentum it’s contagious and Johnny got a big hit.”

After the third, the Twins took out their starter, Chris Rupert and put in reliever Dane Secott. After Secott allowed a solo home run to Craig Braaten to lead off fourth, he shut down the Hounds the rest of the way.

Secott only allowed one hit and walked none in the next 15 Hounds’ at bats and Austin never had a runner in scoring position after the fourth inning.

“We just didn’t group our hits together,” Cano said. “He was throwing strikes and they picked up the ball. He didn’t overpower us or overwhelm us, our hits just weren’t dropping.”

As the Hounds struggled, Mankato scored in the fourth on an RBI-double by Helling and they added another run in the fifth on solo homer by Ryan Greene.

Meyer said it was tough to lose a three-run lead after the Hounds battled back from an early hole.

“They came back for me and this is all on me. I didn’t make pitches when I should’ve. But there’s next year I guess,” he said.

Cano said the loss was a hard pill to swallow.

“It was tough,” he said. “They put together two good innings and we put together one. Both sides were battling to get through the game.”

Before Mankato’s big eighth inning, Meyer had retired eight batters in a row.

Mankato moves on to the quarterfinals, where it will play next Saturday at 7 p.m. in Chaska.

Mankato 13, Hounds 9

Greyhounds pitching: Dave Meyer (L), 7 1/3 IP, 14 H, 4 BB, 13 ER, 7 K; Nick Dolan, 2/3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 K

Greyhounds hitting: Nick Rohne, 2-for-5, RBI, R; Nick Bowe, 1-for-3; Matt Cano, 2-for-5, RBI, R; Craig Braaten, 2-for-4, HR, double, RBI, R; Matt Raso, 1-for-4; Tim Kaplan, 1-for-4, RBI, R; Dan Wiechmann, 2-for-4, RBI, 2 R; Mitch Mullenbach, 1-for-4; John Frein, 2-for-4, double, 3 RBIs, R

Twins pitching: Chris Rupert, 2 1/3 IP, 11 H, 8 ER, HBP, 1 K; Dane Secott (W), 5 2/3 IP, 2 H, 1 ER; Ben Kaus, 1 IP, 1 H, 0R

Twins hitting: Zach Dunelson, 1-for-3, 2 BBs; Jay Nessler, 2-for-4, double, 2 RBIs; Travis Helling, 2-for-5, double, 2 RBIs; Dave Allen, 3-for-5, HR, 2 RBIs; Steven Helget, 2-for-4, double, 2 RBIs; Ryan Greene, 1-for-5, HR, 2 RBIs; Kyle Hoover, 1-for-4; Ben Kaus, 1-for-3, double, 2 RBIs