The positive thing about leaving 10 runners on base is that you had at least 10 runners to strand.

The Austin softball team totaled 14 hits in Saturday’s Big Nine Conference contest at Rochester Mayo, stranding 10 runners on base before pushing two runs across in the top of the eighth inning. Packer pitcher Amy Kelly continued her dominance by allowing only two hits against 12 strikeouts in Austin’s second win of the young season.

The Pack compiled 10 of their 14 hits over the final four innings, including three singles in the eighth that led to a two-run inning and a 2-0 victory.

&uot;The girls were patient,&uot; said AHS head coach Todd Waterbury. &uot;You’re going to get better as the game goes on as a hitter.&uot;

Austin came up with clutch hits from time to time, but found their limits on the basepathes. The Packers were thrown out twice at home in the sixth inning by Spartan center fielder Shelly Monahan, but Austin battled back to challenge again in the eighth.

&uot;In the sixth we had the hit but pushed the envelope with our baserunning,&uot; Coach Waterbury said. &uot;They caught is on some baserunning plays, but my mindset was an aggressive one.

&uot;Early in the season you learn a lot about your team.&uot;

Senior Chelsea McColley scored the game-winning run after leading off the eighth with a single to left. Kelly’s attempt to sacrifice her to second failed, so instead Kelly singled up the middle to put two runners on.

Austin had runners in scoring position in six of eight innings.

Kylene Erstad’s bunt was successful, advancing both baserunners into scoring position. While attempting to intentionally walk Steph Eslinger, Mayo pitcher Brittany Rathbun released a wild pitch to plate McColley as the breakthrough run. Eslinger walked and stole second, but could not move up on Keri Feller’s fly ball to shallow center.

Austin passed up on the chance to again challenge Monahan’s arm, and the decision proved to be the right one after Nicole Turvey came up with an RBI-single.

&uot;We made the plays when the game was on the line, it’s nice to see the girls come through,&uot; Waterbury said.

Kelly led AHS with a 4-4 plate performance while outdueling Rathbun, who struck out eight and walked one. Kelly, in her 12 strikeouts, sat down every Mayo hitter at least once.

Turvey went 3-4, Feller was 2-4, and Steph Sundberg had Austin’s only extra-base hit, a double.

The Packers play three conference games this week, starting with a trip to Winona on Tuesday for a 5 p.m. start. Austin hosts Rochester Century on Thursday at 5 p.m., and visits Owatonna Friday at 4:30 p.m.