The Austin Post 91 baseball team battled back from an early five-run hole, but it wasn’t enough as it lost 8-6 at Owatonna Tuesday.

Austin (1-1 overall) had the tying run on second base in the seventh, but it couldn’t knock the run in.

Nik Gasner allowed just two earned runs in four and one-thirds innings on the mound, but Austin committed some costly errors that led to six unearned runs.

“We played well other than a few errors that cost us early,” Austin co-head coach Andy Swank said. “Nik threw very well, we were just a little rusty in the infield. The guys battled for seven innings and came up just a bit short.”

Austin pitching: Nik Gasner (L) 4 1/3 IP, 7 H, 2 BB, 8 R, 2 ER, 3 K

Austin hitting: Jordan Hart, 1-for-3, double, R, RBI, BB; Gasner, 2-for-3, RBI, R, BB; Jacob Kempen, 1-for-4, R