The Austin Post 1216 VFW baseball team needed plenty of runs to win its District contest against Rochester John Marshall and it got plenty of help from Riley Olson as Austin won 9-6 in Dick Seltz Field Monday.

Austin dropped the nightcap, which was a non-district game, 10-7 to JM.

Austin (12-4 overall, 6-1 District) led the opener 6-2 when JM bounced back to score four runs and tie the game up in the top of the fourth. Austin had a big answer in the bottom of the fourth when Nate Conner lined a double to left field to score a run to make it 7-6 with one out and Olson singled in Conner with two outs to make it 8-6.

Olson, who played for Blooming Prairie in the spring, finished 3-for-4 with three RBIs in game one and he also doubled in two runs to put Austin ahead 7-6 in the sixth inning of the nightcap.

“Every baseball player goes through games were they see the ball real well,” Olson said. “Today was just my day. I think contact is a real important thing. If you put it in play, you give yourself a chance.”

Austin head coach Joe Ciola credited Olson for taking a solid approach to the plate.

“Riley had a good day today. He was seeing the ball, hitting it up the middle and finding gaps,” Ciola said. “He’s been hitting the ball well all summer and tonight was definitely his best night.”

Conner picked up the win in relief for Austin as he pitched three and one thirds innings of scoreless baseball. Austin jumped out to strong in the first inning of game one as Conner and Alex Ciola doubled in runs with two outs and Olson singled in another run to make it 3-0.

“I love playing with these guys. They’re a competitive group and they love to win,” Olson said. “If we have to get in a shootout we can do that. We’ve got plenty of good bats in the dugout.”

Post 1216 didn’t play as well as it wanted to in the nightcap. Austin led 5-0 to start the game, but it couldn’t slam the door on JM, which scored all ten of its runs in the last three innings.

“I always want the kids to put themselves physically and mentally in the position to take advantage of any opportunity they have to make their way,” Ciola said. “Unfortunately mentally they weren’t ready and physically it didn’t happen.”

JM 0 2 0 4 0 0 0 — 6 11 2

Austin 3 1 2 2 1 0 X — 9 13 0

Austin pitching: Trevor Stevens, 3 2/3 IP, 9 H, 3 BB, 6 ER, 4 K; Nate Conner (W) 3 1/3 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 0 R, 3 K

Austin hitting: Trevor Stevens, 2-for-4, double, 2 R, SB; Dylan Gasner, 2-for-4, double, RBI, R, SB; Daniel Bollingberg, 2-for-4, triple, RBI, R; Nate Conner, 2-for-3, 2 doubles, 2 RBIs, 2 R, SB, BB; Alex Ciola, 1-for-3, double, RBI, 2 R, BB; Riley Olson, 3-for-4, 3 RBIs, R; Eli Kaercher, 1-for-2, BB; Brandon Bickell, 0-for-2; Jake Reinartz, 0-for-2, RBI, HBP

JM 0 0 0 0 2 4 4 — 10 9 1

Austin 1 4 0 0 0 2 0 — 7 6 2

Austin pitching: Gasner, 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 K, 1 HBP; Ciola, 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 K, 1 HBP; Garett Ruroden, 2 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 2 ER; Kaercher (L) 1 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 7R , 4 ER, 2 HBP; Bickell, 1 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 K

Austin hitting: Gasner, 1-for-2, double, 3 RBIs, R; Nate Conner, 1-for-2, R, SB; Ciola, 1-for-1, double, RBI, SB, BB; Evan Horstmann, 0-for-4; Pete Conner, 1-for-3, BB; Tanner Steene, 0-for-1, 2 BBs, R; Forrest Lewis, 0-for-2, R, BB; Ruroden, 0-for-2, R, BB; Evan McAlister, 0-for-2, 2 R, 2 BBs; Olson, 1-for-1, double, 2 RBIs; Kaercher, HBP; Bickell, BB