The Austin Post 1216 VFW baseball team was able to hit the ball against one of the best pitchers they’ve played against all season, but they lost both games of a doubleheader to Northfield by scores of 13-9 and 4-0 in five innings in Marcusen Park Wednesday.

Austin (12-10 overall, 6-3 District) faced off against Hunter Koep, who pitched Northfield to a 3-2 win over Mounds View in the Minnesota Class AAA state baseball tournament quarterfinals this year. Post 1216 was able to tally 12 hits and score nine runs and Austin tied the contest up at 7-7 when Hunter Johnson and Peter Conner each knocked in runs in the fourth inning. Northfield tallied four runs in the top of the sixth to take the lead for good.

“We put 12 hits on a kid like that and their coach even commented on how well we hit the ball tonight,” Austin head coach Mark Conner said. “That’s good. I’m glad to see the bats finally came alive.”

Austin committed four errors in the first game against Northfield, which scored three unearned runs in the top of the first inning.

“You just can’t give them extra outs,” Conner said. “In the first inning we gave them six outs. We need to contain them and give them the three that they’re allotted and no more. We just dug in too deep of a hole and couldn’t get out.”

Austin was able to throw six different pitchers in the doubleheader and the team is starting to pick up steam as it closes in on the end of the season.

“The guys continue to get better and that’s what you’re looking for. Hopefully we’ll peak at the right time,” Conner said.

Northfield 3 4 0 0 4 2 0 — 13 15 5

Austin 2 3 0 2 0 2 0 — 9 12 4

Austin pitching: Jake Lunt (L) 4 2/3 IP, 12 H, 1 BB, 11 R, 8 ER, 1 K; Jakob Crouch, 1 1/3 IP, 3 H, 1 BB, 2 R, 0 ER; Evan McAlister, 1 IP, 1 BB, 0 R

Austin hitting: Tanner Steene, 2-for-5, RBI, R, HBP; Forrest Lewis, 1-for-4, R, HBP; McAlister, 2-for-4, double, RBI, R, R, BB; Hunter Johnson, 1-for-4, RBI, R; Pete Conner, 1-for-3, 2 RBIs; Phillip Zynda, 1-for-2, RBI, R, 2 BBs; Josiah Bothun, 1-for-3, RBI; Evan Horstmann, 2-for-3, triple, RBI, R; Lunt, 1-for-2, RBI; Jack Dankert, 0-for-1, R, SB; Crouch, 0-for-1

Northfield 1 0 3 0 0 — 4 6 1

Austin 0 0 0 0 0 — 0 6 1

Austin pitching: Bothun (L) 3 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 1 K; Horstmann, 1 iP, 0 R, 1 K; Conner, 1 IP, 1 BB, 0 R, 1 K

Austin hitting: Lewis, 1-for-1; Tyler Robertson, 1-for-3; Jack Dankert, 0-for-2; Horstmann, 0-for-2; Matt Nelson, 2-for-2, SB; Zynda, 0-for-2; Bothun, 0-for-1; Riley Retterath, 0-for-2; Crouch, 1-for-2; Lunt, 0-for-1, HBP; Conner, 1-for-1