Austin Post 91 had some early offensive struggles in a 7-3 loss to Waseca at Marcusen Park Thursday in a Legion baseball game.

Waseca’s Danny Croomer retired 15 of the first 16 Austin hitters he faced — Nate Paris had a bunt single for the only Austin hit in the first five innings. Meanwhile, Waseca took a 1-0 lead off of three Austin errors in the first and added another run when Jimmy Loonan hit a solo home run to deep left in the fifth. Loonan added another homer in the sixth when he drilled a three-run blast to left.

Preston Higbe was solid in the first four innings for Austin as he allowed just the one earned run while pitching out of a jam with two runners on in the third and a bases loaded jam in the fourth.

Higbe was taken out early in the fifth after struggling with control.

“My curve ball was working pretty good early and in the later innings I got tired and my curve ball was up, so I had to stick with my fast ball,” Higbe, who struck out six, said. “They were just sitting on the fast ball and swinging away.”

Waseca left the bases loaded three times on the night, but Austin (1-7 overall) couldn’t capitalize.

Offensively, Post 91 was robbed of a few hits as Waseca kept there outfielders in all game long.

“We just couldn’t good medal on the bat, it’s very frustrating,” Higbe said.

Austin finally made the visitors pay when Quinn Yocom hit a double and Joel Swatfager hit a two-run double to right-center with two outs in the sixth.

Austin scored another run in the seventh on a wild pitch.

On Wednesday, Post 91 made up a rain-out at Mayo. They lost the first game of a doubleheader 5-4 and lost the second contest 1-0 in five innings after the game was called due to rain.

The team still remains positive.

“We’ve just got to put the pieces together and play hard,” Higbe said.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E

Waseca 1 0 0 0 1 3 2 7 11 1

Post 91 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 3 5 6

Post 91 pitching: Preston Higbe (L), 4 1/3 IP, 5 H, 5 BB, 2 R, 1 ER, 6 K; Joel Swatfager, 1 IP, 2 H, BB, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 K; Steven Rizzi, 1 2/3 IP, 4 H, 2 BB, 2 ER, 2 K

Post 91 hitting: Andrew Orcutt, 0-for-3; Swatfager, 1-for-3, double, 2 RBIs; Mark Harber, 0-for-3; Higbe, 0-for-3; Rizzi, 1-for-3, R; Brady Klingfus, 0-for-3; Jake Hines, 1-for-2, R; Nate Paris, 1-for-2; Mike Tindahl, 0-for-1; Quinn Yocom, 1-for-1, double, R

Waseca pitching: Danny Croomer (W), 6 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 3 K

Waseca hitting: Dan Bomsta, 3-for-3; Shawn Hayes, 0-for-2; Chris Glynn, 1-for-1; Jimmy Loonan, 2-for-4, 2 HR, 4 RBIs; Croomer, 2-for-5, RBI; Kyle Waugh, 3-for-5; Clint Larson, 0-for-4; Shane Malecha, 0-for-2; Zach Hiller, 0-for-3