Mankato West made it hard for Austin to play its aggressive style of softball, but the fifth-ranked Packer softball team had the Scarlets on their heels the whole game.

Austin was patient at the plate against West's erratic hurler Krista Meyer and the Pack managed to put at least one runner on base in every inning. AHS broke through for three runs in the bottom of the third for a 3-1 Big Nine Conference victory Thursday at Todd Park.

"It was hard to zone in because (Meyer) was so wild," said Packer pitcher Amy Kelly. "We did a good job of being patient up there and forcing her to a full count every time. I think we kind of wore her down."

Nicole Turvey's single off Meyer's right foot started Austin's three-run third inning. After a wild pitch moved Turvey to second, Keri Feller delivered a one-out single to center field to plate the game's first run.

Wild pitches moved courtesy runner Sarah Brady and Steph Eslinger, who walked, into scoring position for Betsy Hingeveld. Her slow-roller to the first baseman forced Becca Thompson to put the tag on Hingeveld, who dodged the contact long enough to allow Brady to come home. Thompson's errant throw to the plate allowed Eslinger to score as well.

An error accounted for Mankato West's only run in the following at-bat as Kelly surrendered just one hit and one walk. The Packer defense made four errors in the game, but Kelly's command and the team's composure chased away the rest of the Scarlet's scoring threats.

"Amy pitched real well and the defense bent but didn't break," said AHS coach Todd Waterbury. "We recoverd well. We talked about keeping our composure when things weren't going our way and we did that."

Kelly had her curveball dancing over the outside corner and struck out 10 in her second one-hitter of the season.

"The curve was breaking a lot, more than it has this year," Kelly said.

Meyer threw five wild pitches and walked six in the loss, allowing six hits. Austin stranded eight runners on base, six of which were in scoring position.

"Every inning we pressured them, every inning we were putting runners on," Waterbury said. "That's really what our goal is. We're really happy getting people on."

Austin did not come up with that clutch hit against Meyer but put the ball in play relentlessly. Meyer recorded two strikeouts.

"This was a quality pitcher we faced tonight," Waterbury said. "For us to put the ball in play the way we did says good things. We were being patient and taking the pitcher deep in the count. We learned a lot by seeing a lot of pitches."

Leadoff hitter Kylene Erstad paced the Packers with two of the team's six hits.

Box Score:

Mankato WestAustin

abrhbiabrhbi

Altenburg rf3000Erstad 3b4020

Kozitza 2b2010Turvey 1b4110

Consoer ss3000Kelly p3010

Meyer p3000Feller c2011

Kuhlman c3000

Brady cr0100

Thmpsn 1b2001Eslinger ss1100

Huettl 1b1000Hingeveld lf3001

Schemel 3b2000Goettsch dh2000

Sppmnn 3b1000

White ph1000

Zernechel lf2000

Rider rf0000

Petterson lf1000Jurgensen 2b1010

Richter cf2000Sundberg cf1000

Burger cf1100

Totals26111Totals22362

Mnk.West0001000--111

Austin003000x--364

Team LOB--West 5, Austin 8. DP--West 1. S--Sundberg

IPHRERBBSO

Mankato West

Meyer, L663262

Austin

Kelly, W 7-07110110

WP--Meyer 5.