OWATONNA — The Packers came out swinging but they couldn’t overcome a tough first inning as they lost their baseball opener to Owatonna (1-0 overall, 1-0 Big Nine) 14-9 on the road Tuesday.

Austin (0-1 overall, 0-1 Big Nine) held a 9-3 advantage on hits for the game, but it allowed 10 unearned runs in the bottom of the first inning after starting pitcher Jake Thompson had retired two of the first hitters he faced but he didn’t make it out of the first after an error opened the door for the Huskies’ big rally.

“I felt bad for Jake because it just didn’t go his way,” Austin head coach Troy Watkins said. “Both pitchers struggled to throw strikes in the first inning and the zone was tight for both teams.”

Owatonna’s Dalton Homeier walked five and hit a batter in the first as the Packers took a 4-0 lead in the top of the first.

Austin was led by Gabe Kasak who went two-for-four with a triple and two RBIs and Marcus Stoulil, who went two-for-two with an RBI.

“The bright spot was that we kept battling and we hit the ball all right,” Watkins said.

Austin 4 0 0 1 0 1 3 — 9 9 3

Owatonna 10 0 1 0 3 0 X — 14 3 3

Austin pitching: Jacob Thompson (L), 2/3 IP, 6 BB, 10 R, 0 ER; Marcus Stoulil, 2 1/3 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 K; Tyler Bellknap, 1 1/3 IP, 6 BB, 3 R, 1 ER, 1 K; Anthony Condit, 1 2/3 IP, 1 BB, 0 R, 2 K

Austin hitting: Gabe Kasak, 2-for-4, triple, 2 RBIs, HBP; Zach Huntley, 1-for-4, RBI; Stoulil, 2-for-2, RBI, R, 2 BBs; Trevor Feuerhak, 0-for-3, R, BB; Nik Gasner, 0-for-3, RBI, R, BB; Thompson, 1-for-3, R, RBI, BB; Tommy Olmsted, R, 2 BBs; Sean Coffey, 1-for-2, R; Bellknap, 1-for-1, BB; Zach Wilder, 1-for-2, RBI, R