In a reunion between a pair of Class B state powers, Cold Spring's Dave Hinkemeyer outdueled Austin's Clint Ripley in a 3-2 Springers win in the opening round of the Miller Lite Classic amateur baseball tournament Friday night in Jordan.

It was Cold Spring that defeated the Greyhounds in the state finals two years ago, but Austin tallied a state tournament win over the Springers en route to last year's Class B crown in the return to wooden bats.

Austin, rated sixth in the most recent state poll, took a 2-1 lead with its only two runs coming in the bottom of the fifth. Second-ranked Cold Spring answered with two runs in the top of the sixth, which would be enough for Hinkemeyer.

"Ripley pitched a great game," said Greyhounds player/manager John Frein. "Both teams played a good game. It could have went either way."

The 'Hounds took a 2-1 lead on back-to-back hits by Frein and Tate Cummins in the fifth. Matt Raso led off with a single and took second on a sacrifice bunt by Nate Johnson -- one of two Austin Legion players making their amateur debuts.

Frein followed with an RBI-single and Cummins ripped a double to left-center for a 2-1 Greyhounds lead.

Cold Spring (21-3) retaliated to get two runs with no outs in the sixth, starting with Chris Bell reaching on a hit-by-pitch. Steve Huls added a single and Ron Terres scored them both with another single.

Andy Swank, also a local Legion player, had one of Austin's seven hits in the game.

Ripley allowed seven hits and struck out four in the complete-game loss. He walked one and hit two, falling to 3-3.

The Greyhounds (17-10) gave way to the Hayfield/Austin Athletics for the last two games of the round-robin tournament this weekend.

The A's had to play a Twin Rivers League game at home against the Rochester Blues and thus were unable to make their committment in Jordan. Hayfield played Saturday against fifth-ranked Jordan and Sunday night versus No. 15 Shakopee.

Linescore:

Cold Spring010002000--371

Austin000020000--271

Dave Hinkemeyer and Mike Trewick; Clint Ripley and Matt Raso. WP--Hinkemeyer (4-1). LP--Ripley (3-3). 2B--CS: Trewick, Heying; AUS: Cummins.