Austin junior Jacob Thompson played a major role on the mound and the plate as the Packer baseball team beat Mankato East (1-12 overall, 1-12 Big Nine) 4-3 on the road Friday.

Thompson knocked in the go-ahead run in the top of the sixth and he also picked up the win as he scattered six hits and two walks, while striking out four.

Austin (3-9 overall, 2-8 Big Nine) trailed 3-1 going into the sixth, but Jay Ettinger and Anthony Condit each came up with sacrifice flies to tie the game.

“It seems like we’re always in a one-run game and it was good to see a clutch hit in this one,” Austin head coach Troy Watkins said. “We’ve needed some of those this season.”

Austin 0 0 1 0 0 3 0 — 4 8 1

East 0 0 1 0 2 0 0 — 3 6 2

Austin pitching: Jacob Thompson (W), 7 IP, 6 H, 2 BB, 3 ER, 4 K

Austin hitting: Marcus Stoulil, 2-for-3, 2 SB; Quinn Yocom, 1-for-3, RBI, SB; Aaron Goetz, 1-for-3, R; Caleb Wahlen, 2-for-2, R; Andrew Kaiser, 1-for-2, R, SB; Thompson, 1-for-2, RBI, R