It only takes one to win, and Northfield scored it right away.

The Raiders rallied with two outs in the bottom of the first inning to score one run, and starting pitcher Kory Foss made it stand with 12 strikeouts in a four-hit shutout of the Austin High School baseball team Thursday night in the opening round of Section 1AAA play in Northfield.

Host Northfield (19-2) is one of the top 10 teams in Class AAA and their flawless play portrayed it, much to Austin's dismay. The Packers (5-16) put up a fight but could not push across any runs after mustering only four hits off Foss.

"This just typifies our season, no matter who we play it's going to be close," said Austin coach Kris Fadness. "We just don't hit the ball."

Austin moved runners into scoring position twice throughout the game, but neither rally resulted in a run. Brandon Schaefer singled and Nick Bowe walked in the top of the first inning, but their one-out surge was stopped by Foss who struck out Kyle Rizzi and retired Jim Knoebel on a grounder back to the mound.

Mike Leathers' two-out double to left-center field in the fifth accounted for Austin's only other threat.

Foss, a Division II pitching prospect, scattered four hits and one walk against 12 strikeouts. He won the pitchers' duel over Austin's Tim Johnson, who surrendered six hits and a walk against seven strikeouts.

The Tigers' Tim Taggart started a one-out rally in the bottom of the first with a single, and he advanced safely to second when Troy Deden's infield grounder was misplayed. Clean-up hitter Brett Berry made good on his opportunity with a double over Schaefer's head in left field.

Only one more Northfield runner would get as far as second base.

The Packers fall into the losers' bracket where on Saturday they will face either Waseca or Owatonna at 11 a.m. in Northfield. A win moves Austin ahead to the 4 p.m. game Saturday, while a loss would end the season for the Pack.

Linescore:

Austin0000000--041

Northfield100000x--160

WP--Foss. LP--T.Johnson. 2B--Berry, Leathers.