The Austin baseball team started the season on a tough note, dropping two games at Albert Lea by scores of 4-2 and 12-4.

In the first game, Mark Harber pitched well, allowing five hits, two walks and four runs (three earned) while striking out five in six innings. But the Packers (0-2 overall, 0-2 Big Nine) struck out 10 times.

“We just didn’t put the bat on the ball,” Austin head coach Troy Watkins said. “It was just our third time outside and it showed and made a difference.”

Austin had a runner on second in the top of the seventh, but couldn’t get a hit.

Steven Rizzi was 2-for-4 with a stolen base, Jordan Hall was 1-for-3 with a double, Jacob Winters was 1-for-3 with an RBI, and Harber was 1-for-3.

In the second game, Adam Hemann couldn’t get out of the first inning as he walked four straight and allowed a runner to reach base on an error before being pulled.

“It’s unusual for him to start like that because he’s probably our most accurate pitcher,” Watkins said.

Brady Klingfus went four and one-thirds innings, allowing four hits, four walks, three earned and runs while striking out four, and Dylan Monson allowed four hits, two walks and three earned runs while striking out two in one and two-thirds innings.

Hall was 2-for-4 with a double and Hemann was 1-for-4 with a double.