The future of Austin High School softball is safe, but the present Packer squad is not yet concerned about that.

Sophomore pitcher Angie Rohne threw a five-inning no-hitter in her first career varsity start Tuesday against Albert Lea, and AHS rolled to the Big Nine sweep of the visiting Tigers at Todd Park.

The Packers, currently ranked fifth in Class AAA, pounded out 12 hits to support Rohne's first-ever start with a run-rule shortened 11-1 victory in the first of two games. Austin senior Amy Kelly tossed a one-hit shutout in the nightcap, 6-0. The AHS duo limited the Tigers to one hit in 38 at-bats, an average of .026.

"Angie just needed to get her feet under her and get rid of the jitters," said AHS coach Todd Waterbury. "She did a nice job of being consistent and keeping the ball down, and we had some good defense behind her.

"I'm very happy for her, that's a nice way to start her career. But to keep it in perspective, it's good for the program to continue to build in a positive direction."

Austin has its focus set on the immediate future, thanks to a 7-0 start to the season. The Packers play host to Mankato West Thursday at 4:30 p.m. with the Elks Softball Invite looming for the weekend. Friday's games start at 5:30 p.m. and Saturday gets underway at 10:30 a.m.

Austin will be riding a powerful offense into this week's games, led in part by Nicole Turvey. Turvey was 3-for-6 in Tuesday's doubleheader with a triple and three runs scored, spurred by a move to No. 2 in the Packer batting order.

"It gives me a lot more confidence batting at two," Turvey said. "I think Betsy (Hingeveld) has become more of a power hitter so that's why she moved down in the order."

Turvey and Hingeveld swapped the Nos. 2 and 6 spots in the batting lineup. Turvey is 6-11 since the change.

"She's got some confidence now," Waterbury said, "and it seems like she's seeing the ball better."

Turvey scored three runs in the 11-1 opener, going 2-3 at the plate. Steph Eslinger led the way with a 3-3 performance, scoring twice and driving in two more. Caitlin Jurgensen added a two-run single in Austin's five-run third inning.

Hingeveld was 2-3 with two runs and two RBIs, including a run-scoring double in the four-run fourth.

"We just need to continue putting the ball in play and making them make the plays," Waterbury said.

Albert Lea (1-6, 1-6) made 10 total errors in the two-game stint, while Austin committed four. Tiger pitcher Nicole Rafdal surrendered 18 runs, only six of which were earned.

Austin's entire roster saw action in the doubleheader, including 15 different players in the second game. Keri Feller had two singles to lead the Packers in the 6-0 win.

Teresa White was 1-2 with a run-scoring double in the bottom of the first, accounting for Austin's only RBI. None of the Pack's six runs came earned to Rafdal in the nightcap thanks to eight Tiger errors.

Kelly allowed just one hit -- an infield single to the Tigers' No. 9 hitter Amber Edwards -- in her sixth win. Kelly struck out seven and walked two.

Box Scores:

Game One

Albert LeaAustin

abrhbiabrhbi

Mondeel ss2001Erstad 3b4000

Chrz lf1000Turvey 1b3320

Hvndck cf2000Kelly dh3110

Boyer rf2000

Rider rf0000

Edwrds 1b2000Feller c2010

Hlgrsn 2b2000Eslinger ss3232

Rafdal p2000Hingeveld lf3222

Hanson 3b2100Goettsch cf0100

Storlie c1000Rohne p1111

Brady cr0100

Jurgensen 2b3012

Sundberg cf3011

Barclay lf0000

Totals16101Totals2511128

Albert Lea00100--105

Austin2054x--11121

2B--Hingeveld. S--Feller.

IPHRERBBSO

Albert Lea

Rafdal, L41211621

Austin

Rohne, W 1-0501012

PB--Storlie, Feller.

Game Two

Albert LeaAustin

abrhbiabrhbi

Mondeel ss3000Erstad 3b4000

Chrz 3b3000Turvey dh3010

Hvndck cf3000

Jrgnsn ss1110

Boyer lf3000Kelly p4110

Rafdal p2000Feller c4020

Hlgrsn 2b2000Eslinger ss3100

Olson c2000

Barclay 2b1000

Hanson rf2000Hingeveld lf3110

Edwards 1b2010

Auringer lf1000

White 1b2011

Seeck 1b1100

Rider rf2000

Brady rf1100

Goettsch cf3000

Sundberg cf0000

Totals22010Totals33671

Albert Lea0000000--018

Austin300021x--673

2B--White. 3B--Turvey.

IPHRERBBSO

Albert Lea

Rafdal, L776002

Austin

Kelly, W 6-0710027

Picked off--Helgerson, Edwards.