The Austin Post 91 Legion baseball team played much better, but still had to settle for a split in Kasson Thursday.

Austin (5-11 overall) took the first game 12-2 in six innings and it dropped the nightcap 1-0.

“We were a little shorthanded with kids on vacation, but they were good, clean games and the kids played with some enthusiasm,” Post 91 head coach Bob Stratton said.

Jacob Thompson gave Austin a 4-1 lead in the opener when he tripled in two runs in the fifth inning. Austin tacked on four more runs in that frame to go up 8-1.

Preston Higbe picked up the win in the first game as he scattered five hits and one walk.

“We had good defense, good offense and good pitching,” Stratton said. “Higbe got into a rhythm and threw strikes.”

Austin mustered just four hits and struck out 11 times in the second game. It had runners on second and third with no outs in one frame but couldn’t score and had a runner on third with one out in another inning and couldn’t score.

“We were against their ace and he was a good pitcher, but we had our chances and we just let him off the hook,’ Stratton said.

Luke Mallory pitched a gem in the loss as he allowed just three hits and two walks, while striking out seven. The only runner to score for Kasson reached on an error in the fourth inning.

Austin 12, Kasson 2

Austin pitching: Preston Higbe (W), 6 IP, 5 H, 1 BB, 2 ER, 4 K

Austin hitting: Quinn Yocom, 2-for-4, triple; Higbe, 1-for-3, 2 R; Aaron Goetz, 1-for-3, 2 R, BB; Zach Wilder, 1-for-1, 3 BBs; Jacob Thompson, 3-for-4, double, triple, 5 RBIs

Kasson 1, Austin 0

Austin pitching: Luke Mallory (L), 7 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 1 R, 0 ER, 7 K