Austin Packers baseball team rallies in the bottom of the 7th inning to knock off Rochester Century 7-6 Tuesday

The Austin Packers baseball team was looking to get back on the winning track in their “Strike Out Cancer” game versus Rochester Century at Dick Seltz Field Tuesday, and it was the Packers rallying in dramatic fashion with three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to upend the Panthers 7-6.

The Packers jumped out to a 4-0 lead with four runs in the bottom of the second inning, and starting pitcher Noah Dunlap was able to hold Century off the scoreboard until the top of the fifth when the Panthers halved the Austin lead with two runs, and they then took a 6-4 lead with four more runs in the sixth, keyed by a triple from Jack Eustice, who wound up going 1 for 2 with the three-bagger, four RBI’s and a run scored.  Head Coach Jacob Nelson reported that Austin then used the bunt well in the bottom of the seventh and moved runners into scoring position. Dakota Retterath then belted a two-RBI single to tie the game at 6-6, and Peyton Ransom then came in for the walk-off win on a passed ball to end the game.

Isaac Osgood helped to lead Austin offensively Tuesday by going 3 for 3 with a double, two RBI’s and a run scored, Benton Purkapile was 2 for 3 with a run scored, Ethan Anderson went 2 for 4 with a run scored as well, and Retterath wound up going 1 for 3 with his huge two-RBI single in the bottom of the seventh.  Noah Dunlap pitched the first five and 1/3rds of an inning for the Packers and gave up four runs, three earned, on three hits, striking out four and walking four, and Dakota Retterath then went the last inning and two-thirds and gave up two runs, both earned, on two hits, striking out four and walking one.

With the win, Ausitn is now 3-4 in the Big 9 Conference and 3-5 overall, and the Packers will travel to Rochester for their next game Thursday to take on the Mayo Spartans at Mayo Field, with first pitch at 5:00 p.m.  You’ll hear the game live on AM 1480 KAUS and myaustinminnesota.com, with the pre-game show getting underway at 4:45 p.m.  Thursday afternoon.