A successful experiment kickstarted the Austin softball team en route to a 10-0 Big Nine Conference victory Thursday night in Faribault.

The Packers, disguised by a slightly altered lineup, scored in four of seven at-bats behind new leadoff hitter Kylene Erstad. Erstad finished 4-5 against the Falcons, tallying three runs, three RBIs and two stolen bases in her new role. She is 7-10 batting leadoff in the last two games.

"I just felt that Kylene has different ways of getting on base for us, so we just mixed it up and it's certainly paid off to this point," said Austin coach Todd Waterbury. "She stepped up to the challenge of getting on base for the team."

Erstad reached base to lead off the first and third innings, in both of which she eventually scored. Keri Feller drove Erstad in with the game-winning run in the top of the first, and Steph Eslinger's two-run double in the third scored Erstad and Kelly.

Erstad drove in two more runs with a single to cap the Packers' four-run fifth inning.

"It's nice the pieces are starting to fit the puzzle," Waterbury added.

Kelly came dangerously close to the school record for strikeouts, sitting down 15 would-be Falcon hitters. Her run at the record -- 18 -- was stinted by an empty strikeout inning in the second. Otherwise Kelly struck out at least two Faribault batters in every inning, setting her career-high at 15.

"She was awesome," Waterbury said. "It still was the drop ball, but she mixed it up pretty well too."

Kelly struck out 11 in the Packers' Tuesday game at Rochester John Marshall featuring her drop ball. In two games with Faribault this season, Kelly has 21 strikeouts and only two hits against her.

The Falcons assembled a mild threat in the sixth, getting two two-out singles and Kelly's only walk issued. Kelly struck out the next four batters to end the game.

Kelly and Eslinger each had two hits, while Nicole Turvey and Stacy Draayer had two RBIs apiece.

Austin hosts Rochester Mayo Saturday for a 1 p.m. Big Nine match. The Packers won the first time around, 2-0, in eight innings.

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

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