For the first four innings Tuesday, the Austin baseball team went toe-to-toe with Big Nine Conference power Mankato West. Despite a solid outing from Kyle Rizzi, the Packers proved to be no match for Scarlet hurler Adam Sorenson, who tossed a one-hitter en route to a 4-1 win at Marcusen Field.

"Kyle threw the ball pretty well against a good hitting team," said AHS head coach Troy Watkins, "but we were going up against one of the toughest pitchers in the Big Nine, and he threw a great game today."

"I looked up at the scoreboard at the end and was surprised we had that many hits," said Mankato West head coach Ethan Anderson, "but we did have timely hitting and we were able to manufacture some runs."

Nate Johnson started the game off for the Packers by slashing a double into the left field corner. After a groundout by Joey Kroc moved him to third, Rizzi got him home with a sacrifice fly to give Austin the early 1-0 lead.

Unfortunately, this would be the last hit of the day for the Packers. They were able to get a runner on base with less than two outs in four of the next five innings, thanks to three walks and an error, but Sorenson slammed the door each time. He also struck out the side in the fourth.

"We didn't make them make plays today," said Watkins. "We've got to have the confidence that we can hit the ball."

Rizzi was still able to keep pace with Sorenson for the most part, keeping the Scarlet hitters off-balance while striking out six.

He got into trouble in the fifth though. With the score tied at 1-all, Taylor Blomquist slapped a one-out double just out of the reach of a diving Jordan Van Proosdy.

After a groundout moved the runner to third, Danny Umhoefer hit a slow roller to the right of the mound that neither Rizzi nor the Packer infielders were able to make a play on, allowing the go-ahead run to come home.

Mankato West got an insurance run in the sixth thanks to a towering one-out triple by Mitch Salsbery to deep center field. Jeff Case then made it a 3-1 game with another two-out RBI hit.

The Scarlets greeted reliever Paul Leathers in the seventh with three singles to plate their final run of the day.

Austin drops to 2-3 in Big Nine play and 2-4 overall, while the Scarlets remain perfect at 5-0.

The Packers hit the road for their next four games, taking on John Marshall Thursday in Rochester before heading to Albert Lea for a doubleheader Friday.

Box Score:

Mankato WestAustin

abrhbiabrhbi

Umhoefer lf3021Johnson cf3110

Stori cf4010Kroc ss3000

Sorenson p3001Rizzi p1001

Salsbery c3010Lyon 2b3000

Sjulsted cr0100Swank 3b3000

Starke 1b4000Edge c2000

Case rf3121Selmicki lf3000

Ward dh3010Bastyr 1b2000

Blomquist 2b2111

Joseph ph1000

Walsh s3110VanProosdy rf1000

Totals28494Totals22111

M.West0100111--491

Austin1000000--110

2B--Johnson. 3B--Salsbery. SB--Ward. SF--Rizzi, Sorenson, Blomquist.

IPHRERBBSO

Austin

Rizzi L, 1-2663305

Leathers131101

Mankato West

Sorenson W, 2-07111310

HBP--Rizzi (Umhoeffer), Leathers (Salsbery).