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The Austin Post 1216 VFW baseball team remained red hot at the plate as it hammered out 42 hits over three games to win the District 1 title in Northfield this past weekend.

No. 2 seeded Austin (27-3 overall) had already clinched a state berth as the host site, but now it can go in with bragging rights  after the team has won 18 games in a row. Post 1216 beat Owatonna 7-3 in the title game after beating Northfield 9-3 and Owatonna 7-4 in the first game.

“Our bats were terrific and it carried over from the divisional tournament,” Austin head coach Dave Lillemon said. “We had a lot of different hitters step up. Our pitchers threw well and our defense was solid.”

Austin trailed Owatonna 4-3 in the bottom of the sixth. Brayden Bishop tripled in a run and he scored on an RBI single by Connor Munson to put Austin up 5-4.

Austin was the No. 2 seed and will now host the state VFW tournament Aug. 12-16 at Riverland and Marcusen Park. It is a double-elimination tournament with 10 teams.

Austin 7, Owatonna 4

Austin pitching: Nick Robertson (W) 6 IP, 6 H, 1 BB, 4 R, 3 ER, 9 K; Peyton Ransom (S) 1 IP, 2 BB, 0 R 

Austin hitting: Sam Oehlfke, 3 hits, triple; Ransom, 4 hits, 2 RBIs; Isiah Conway, 2 hits, RBI

Austin 9, Stewartville 3

Austin pitching: Ransom (W) 5 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 K; Isiah Conway, 1 1/3 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 1 R, 1 K; Isaac Osgood 2/3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 K 

Austin hitting: Nick Robertson, 3 doubles, 2 RBIs; Connor Munson, 2 RBIs; Mac Nelson, 2 hits, triple, RBI; Isaac Stromlund, RBI

Austin 7, Owatonna 3

Austin pitching: Brayden Bishop (W) 6 2/3 IP, 6 H, 4 BB, 3 ER, 9 K; Ransom, 1/3 IP, 0 R

Austin hitting: Ransom, 3 hits, double, RBI; Jared Lillemon, 3 hits, double, 2 RBIs; Mac Nelson, double, 2 RBIs, BB; Connor Munson, double, RBI; Stomlund, hit, RBI