The Austin Post 1216 baseball team had a tall task in front of it at Marcusen Park Wednesday.

Austin was tied for first place in the District with Rochester Mayo and the two teams were faced off to see who could get the inside track for the top spot.

Post 1216 responded to the challenge in flying colors as it won the District contest 11-1 in five innings and it took the second game 8-1.

Daniel Bollingberg scattered four hits and struck out five in the opening win and he also went 2-for-3 at the plate.

“I was really pumped and I felt really good. My arm was popping,” Bollingberg said. “We knew they were a good team. But if we come out and play as good as we can, we can beat anybody. We knew this was probably the game for the top of the District and it would put us in the driver’s seat. We really wanted it.”

Austin (14-4 overall, 7-1 District) had a big effort from its top six hitters in the first game. Those hitters combined for all 11 of Austin’s hits in the win.

Post 1216 took an early lead as Bollinberg singled in a run in the first and second innings and Alec Ciola also knocked in two runs in the first two frames.

Austin put things away in the fourth when Nate Conner doubled in a pair of runs, Ciola singled in a run and Riley Olson singled in a run to make it 8-0.

“They came out with a lot of energy and played great baseball,” Austin head coach Joe Ciola said of his squad. “I’m very proud of them. It’s great when they come out that focused as a group.”

Austin pitchers Jake Reinartz, who struck out seven in three innings, and Brandon Bickell shut down Mayo in the nightcap and Riley Olson helped turn two double plays.

Evan McAlister was 2-for-2 with two doubles in an RBI.

Joe Ciola said Post 1216 must keep playing solid baseball if it wants to finish at the top of the District standings.

“Each game is its own individual game,” he said. “The game that happened before is over, then we move on to our next game and play the best we can.”

Mayo 0 0 1 0 0 — 1 4 2

Austin 2 2 0 4 3 — 11 11 0

Austin pitching: Daniel Bollingberg (W) 5 IP, 4 H, 1 BB, 1 ER, 5 K, 1 HBP

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

Mayo 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 —  1 2 3

Austin 2 1 0 2 1 2 X —  8 13 1

Austin pitching: Jake Reinartz (W) 3 IP, 3 BB, 0 R, 7 K; Bickell, 4 IP, 2 H, 3 BB, 1 ER, 1 K

Austin hitting: Gasner, 1-for-2; Ciola, R, 2 BBs; Forrest Lewis, 2-for-4, RBI; Evan McAlister, 2-for-2, 2 doubles, RBI, 2 R, 2 BBs; Kaercher, 0-for-2; Reinartz, 1-for-2, SB; Garett Ruroden, 1-for-3, SB, BB; Evan Horstmann, 1-for-4, RBI; Tanner Steene, 0-for-1, 2 BBs; Trevor Stevens, 0-for-2, R; Bollingberg, 2-for-2, R; Olson, 1-for-2, R; Bickell, 2-for-2, 2 doubles, RBI, R