Austin Daily Herald

The Austin Legion Post 91 baseball team began the Faribault Tournament in explosive fashion Thursday, beating up on their hosts 12-2 in six innings.

Four-run outbursts in the first and second innings gave Post 91 starter Andy Swank (1-1) an early cushion. He had little trouble with the Faribault lineup though, allowing six hits over six innings of work. He struck out three and walked four in the game.

Swank helped himself at the plate as well with a two-run single in the second. John Bastyr and Nate Johnson led the Austin attack with three hits apiece, with Bastyr driving in three runs and Johnson two. Nels Nelson also had a two-run double to highlight Austin's four-run first inning.

Post 91 would score twice more in both the fourth and sixth innings to end the game early on the 10-run rule.

Now 3-5 on the year, Austin advanced to the quarterfinals, where they took on Lakeville late Saturday.