Packers take Big Nine lead

Published 12:00 am Friday, April 26, 2002

Austin has learned its lessons, and the knowledge is starting to pay off for the Packers.

Mankato West came into Thursday's Big Nine Conference softball game with an undefeated league mark, holding tight to the top spot in the standings. Austin, with one educational loss, was a game back of the Scarlets.

What a difference one day can make.

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Keri Feller's bases-loaded grounder drove in Kylene Erstad with the first run of a scoreless tie, and subsequent errors forced by Austin's aggressive baserunning pushed the Packers to a 3-0 victory Thursday night at Todd Park.

Austin (7-1, 7-1) now shares a tie atop the conference standings with Mankato West (7-2, 5-1), but feels after last night as though they are in the drivers' seat.

"It's nice to have control of our own destiny," Feller said after the game. "We're definitely going to come back and take it to Winona, definitely."

Austin's lone league loss was to the Winhawks, but the Packers put themselves at the top of everyone's list with a late rally in the bottom of the sixth. Erstad was hit by Kristy Meyer's pitch to put a runner on with one out. Packer pitcher Amy Kelly followed with a single, and Steph Eslinger did the same.

Erstad rounded third with her eyes on home, but was wisely held up with Feller on deck and only one out.

"I just wanted to score," said Erstad, who scored the game-winning run on her 17th birthday one pitch later. "I just wanted to score to win this game. He (Coach Todd Waterbury) told me to run as hard as I could."

Feller's grounder to the right side was misplayed by West's second baseman, scoring Erstad. Meggan Rider, running for Kelly, chased Erstad home with the second run and the right fielder's throw home allowed Eslinger to come across as well.

"Just learning what your team can do," Coach Waterbury said, "I think that's going to pay dividends.

"I didn't feel it was necessary (to send Erstad). I was confident (Feller) could get the ball in play and make something happen for us. It's nice to have these kinds of games go your way early in the season, you get confident that those games are going to go your way."

Austin held off of a pair of Scarlet scoring opportunities earlier in the game. West's Becca Thompson doubled to center with the game's first hit, and Nicole Petterson followed with a single. After a stolen base, Becky Schemmel attempted to drop down the suicide squeeze bunt and Feller, Austin's catcher, and Erstad, the third baseman, converged around the pop-up.

Thompson slid across the plate as the ball rolled foul, and West was originally honored with the run. After a brief conversation, the umpires ruled neither Feller nor Erstad touched the ball in fair territory, moving both runners back to their original position.

Schemmel proceeded to lift a fly ball to center field, where Stephanie Sundberg fired a one-hopper to Feller to catch Thompson attempting to tag up.

"It could have gone either way," said West coach Rod Krusemark. "We had our chances early, and early in the season we have taken advantage of them. That was a huge play.

"I don't want to dwell on one play, but it was early in the game and it set a tone."

Mankato West came back with a scoring chance in the fifth. With Schemmel on second, Jena Kozitza laced a line drive down the left-field line, but senior Stacy Draayer was there to make the shoe–top catch for the third out.

"What a beautiful catch," Waterbury said. "Those two plays on defense, despite the mistakes we had, made the difference."

Both teams had just three hits, with Kelly coralling two of Austin's three. And after an error allowed Thompson to reach base leading off the seventh, Kelly struck out the next three hitters to end the game.

"It was probably the most important game so far this season," Kelly said. "Any team can beat any team in the conference. We totally have to take care of ourselves and not worry about anyone else."

Austin hosts seven other teams for the 18th Annual Elks Softball Invite today and Saturday at Todd Park's North Complex. The Packers begin first-round play today at 5:30 p.m. against Hill-Murray, and all second round games will follow the first round. Saturday's finals games will start at 10:30 a.m., weather permitting.

Defending champion Lakeville meets South St. Paul, Simley starts with Eden Prairie, and Rochester Mayo matches up with North St. Paul in the other first round games at 5:30 p.m. today.

Call Ross Thede at 434-2234 or e-mail him at :mailto:sports@austindailyherald.com.

West0000000--032

Austin000003x--333

Kristy Meyer and Becky Schemmel. Amy Kelly and Keri Feller. WP--Kelly (6-1). LP--Meyer.