ROCHESTER — The Austin Post 91 Legion baseball team gave the No. 2 seeded Rochester A’s all they could handle, but a couple of missed chances cost it in a 3-1 loss in the opening round of the First District Legion baseball tournament at Rochester Century Tuesday.

No. 7 seeded Austin (6-20 overall) will play an elimination game at John Adams Middle School in Rochester Friday at 10 a.m.

The A’s scored two of their runs on errant throws on pick-off attempts and their first run came off a double steal.

“I’m encouraged as you can be after you get beat,” Austin head coach Bob Stratton said. “This is probably one of our better games of the year and I’m pretty optimistic for the future. We’ve got a few freshmen and sophomores out here.”

Austin had the bases loaded with no outs in the bottom of the first inning, but it posted just one run on a sacrifice fly Steven Clennon. Austin stranded seven runners in scoring position as it could never come up with the two-out hit.

“As long as we keep up the defense, we’ll be in the game,” Austin shortstop Gabe Kasak said. “We just need to get those hits in certain spots. Their guy threw well and you’ve got to give him credit. He changed it up a lot. We just need to see the pitches and put the bat on the ball.”

Kasak made a few key defensive plays to help out Austin pitcher Nik Gasner, who allowed just one earned run in six innings of work.

Gasner got out of a bases loaded jam in the sixth inning when he forced the A’s No. 3 hitter to ground out to Kaskak on a 3-2 pitch that kept the score at 3-1.

“Gabe was outstanding at shortstop today and Nik had by far his best game of the year for us,” Stratton said. “During the spring, Nik would lose his composure a little after the fourth, but today he stayed with it.”

Ethan Hortsmann went 3-for-5 and scored in the first inning for Post 91.

Austin will now focus on keeping its season alive on Friday.

“We’ve had our struggles this year but we’re coming together now,” Kasak said. “When we’re all here and focused we do well.”

Austin 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 — 1 8 2

A’s 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 X — 3 9 1

Austin pitching: Nik Gasner (L), 6 IP, 8 H, 3 BB, 3 R, 1 ER, 1 K; Luke Mallory, 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 HBP, 1 K

Austin hitting: Ethan Hortsmann, 3-for-5, R; Marcus Stoulil, 1-for-3, BB; Gabe Kasak, 1-for-4; Steven Clennon, 1-for-3, RBI; Zach Huntley, 0-for-4; Gasner, 1-for-3, double, BB, SB; Zach Wilder, 0-for-4; Michael Gaines, 0-for-3; Joe Raso, 1-for-3; Mallory, 0-for-1; Jordan Lysne, 0-for-1