Austin righthander Clint Ripley made his first start of the season a good one on Tuesday, shutting out Albert Lea 8-0 at Marcusen Park.

Wednesday, April 26, 2000

Austin righthander Clint Ripley made his first start of the season a good one on Tuesday, shutting out Albert Lea 8-0 at Marcusen Park.

Ripley allowed just two hits through six innings, before giving way to Tanner Schieck, who pitched a perfect seventh.

With the win, Austin improved to 5-3 overall and in the Big Nine.

"My fastball wasn’t really working," Ripley said, "so I came back with my curveball."

Austin coach Jerry Miller called the curve Ripley’s best pitch, one the Tigers (1-7) couldn’t handle.

With Austin leading, 7-0, Ripley pitched out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the third inning – his only trouble spot.

"I knew if I kept the ball down we’d make the plays," Ripley said.

Ripley ended the threat by getting two line drive outs to infielders and one strikeout.

Austin’s early offensive outburst came courtesy of lead-off batter Brent Holck, who singled, stole second and scored in a four-run first. He followed that up with a solo shot deep over the left field fence to start the second.

Austin travels to John Marshall on Thursday, before taking on Lakeville at home on Saturday at 1 p.m. Schieck will likely make his first start in that game.

Austin 8, Albert Lea 0

Albert Lea Austin

ab r h bi ab r h bi

Hanson rf 1 0 0 0 Holck rf 3 2 2 1

Hendrickson 2b 2 0 0 0 Huffman dh 3 1 2 0

Walton cf 3 0 0 0 Hovey ph 1 0 0 0

Wacholz c 3 0 0 0 Rohne ss 4 1 1 1

Hamburg 3b 3 0 0 0 Smith 1b 2 1 0 0

Solberg dh 3 0 0 0 Schieck ph/1b/p 1 1 0 0

Dahl ss 2 0 1 0 Ryan lf 3 1 1 1

Hanson ph 1 0 0 0 Hanson ph/lf 0 0 0 0

Tuchowski lf 2 0 0 0 Holtorf c 4 0 1 0

Zerck ph 1 0 0 0 Kvam pr/cf 1 1 1 1

Atlig 1b 2 0 1 0 Morrison cf 2 0 2 2

Peterson ph 1 0 0 0 Toov 2b 3 0 1 2

Klapperick 3b 2 0 0 0

Brede 1 0 0 0

Totals 24 0 2 0 30 8 11 8

E-Smith, Klapperick (2). LOB-Albert Lea 6, Austin 10. 2B-Morrison, Kvam. HR-Holck. SB-Holck, Huffman.

Albert Lea 000 000 0 – 0

Austin 430 001 X – 8

Albert Lea ip h r er bb k Armstrong L 1 1/3 6 7 7 3 2

Link 4 2/3 5 1 1 3 4

Austin

Ripley W 6 2 0 0 3 6

Schieck 1 0 0 0 0 2

Softball

Packers swept in Mankato

In starting 3-0, the Austin softball team committed two errors. In dropping their last three, the Packers have accumulated 13, including eight in a two-game sweep at the hands of host Mankato West on Tuesday.

Austin lost 2-1 and 6-5, missing opportunities throughout the double header.

"The whole night we allowed just one earned run," Coach Todd Waterbury said. "We need to play better in the field and the girls know it."

Austin led 1-0 in Game One after a Jamie Nieland’s RBI bunt single in the third inning. But the Scarlets answered in their half of the third, scoring two when a bases-loaded throwing error cost Austin the third out.

Freshman Amy Kelly pitched for the Packers, allowing just four hits while striking out four. Austin had a runner thrown out at home in the fourth, left the bases loaded in the fifth and couldn’t plate Lauren Feller after her leadoff triple in the sixth.

"We had our chances," Waterbury said.

In Game Two, the Packers fell behind 6-0 after three innings. In a three-run West third inning, the first three batters of the inning reached on errors and scored. Austin freshman Betsy Hingeveld, making her first start, "dealt with the adversity well," Waterbury said.

She lasted three innings before Amanda Seibel finished off the game with three innings of shutout relief.

Austin battled back, using four hit batters to score three in the fifth. The Packers scored two more in the sixth before pitcher Lori Hewitt, who hit five Austin batters on the day, settled down for her second win of the day.

Austin hosts Rochester John Marshall on Thursday and the Elks Tournament at Todd Park beginning Friday.