Austin Legion Post #91 baseball team downs Rochester Patriots 5-1 Thursday

The Austin American Legion Post #91 baseball team played host to the Rochester Patriots in a 1st District matchup at Marcusen Park Thursday evening, and pitcher Nick Robertson made an early 3-0 lead stand up with 6 2/3rds strong innings in a 5-1 Austin win.

After Rochester stranded two men on base in the top of the first, Post #91 jumped out to a lead they would not relinquish as leadoff hitter Zach Bollingberg reached second on a two-base throwing error on the infield.  Robertson also reached on an error and catcher Dakota Retterath was hit by a pitch to load the bases.  Second baseman Cole Walter then came through with a big two-run single to put Austin in front 2-0, and Walter then stole second and scored on a RBI single off the bat of rightfielder Bray Klapperick.

Robertson gave up only one run, which was unearned after the Patriots loaded the bases with no one out in the top of the second  to cut the Austin lead to 3-1, but Post #91 answered  back in the bottom half of the inning when first baseman Jared Lillemon reached on an infield single.  With one out, Zach Bollingberg was hit by a pitch and third baseman Peyton Ransom then hit into a fielder’s choice, sending Lillemon to third.  With two outs, Lillemon then scored on a wild pickoff throw to first to make the score 4-1.

Austin’s other run in the game was registered in the bottom of the fourth when Bollingberg led off with a double.  He went to third on a wild pitch and then scored when Retterath lofted a sacrifice fly to right field to account for the 5-1 final score.

Robertson settled in on the mound as the game went on for Post #91 as the lefty earned the win by going 6 and 2/3rds of an inning and giving up the one unearned run on four hits, striking out five and walking three.  Peyton Ransom then came into the game with two outs in the top of the seventh and registered the last out of the game for the win.

Austin is now 3-0 on the young season.