The third-ranked Austin softball team has allowed only an average of less than two runs per game this year. So if they score four runs in the first inning, as they did Thursday against Big Nine Conference foe Faribault, their opponents are in trouble.

Behind Steph Eslinger's four RBIs and a four-hit shutout from Amy Kelly, the Packers swept their season series with the Falcons 6-0 at Todd Park.

"What's keeping us going right now is our approach, not who we're playing," said AHS head coach Todd Waterbury. "We're identifying our goals each game and focusing on the things we can control. The other team will either make the plays or they won't."

The Packers didn't hit the ball especially hard or often, as Faribault actually outhit them 4-to-3, but Eslinger did get a hold of one pitch that made Faribault pay for some lax defense. Kylene Erstad struck out to lead things off, but reached base anyway when the pitch got away from the catcher. An error by the second baseman and a walk loaded the bases for Eslinger, who drove a double into left field to bring home all three runners. An errant throw by the left fielder allowed her to trot home too, giving Austin a 4-0 cushion after only one inning. They would later add unearned runs in the fifth and sixth.

"Coach Waterbury changed my batting stance at the beginning of the year," said Eslinger, "and I'm starting to get used to it now, which has brought my confidence at the plate up too."

Faribault meanwhile took a few innings to mount any sort of a threat against Kelly, who retired 12 of the first 14 batters she faced.

Promising leadoff singles in the fifth and sixth were both snuffed out by catcher Keri Feller, who is starting to make a habit of picking off unsuspecting baserunners.

The pickoff in the sixth wasn't without some controversy though, as Feller held onto a second-strike foul tip and caught Tiffany Kes napping between first and second. This brought Faribault head coach Jesse Armbruster over for a spirited discussion with the umpire.

"I'm a visual learner," explained Armbruster, "and I just wanted to understand his call, but he thought I was challenging his authority."

This would prove to be their last attempt at offense, as Kelly induced some more meekly hit ground balls in the seventh to preserve the shutout, her fourth of the season.

"Amy kept the ball down well today," Waterbury said. "She knows as well as anyone that it doesn't matter whether you get your outs from ground balls or strikeouts."

Offensively, Eslinger had her second straight four-RBI game, going 1-for-3 with the first-inning double and a run scored. Caitlin Jurgensen also had one hit in three at bats with a stolen base and a run scored.

Faribault starter Bree Lindenberg allowed only those three hits while striking out five, but she was undone by the seven errors committed behind her leading to three unearned Packer runs.

The Falcons drop to 3-8 on the season, while Austin remains perfect at 13-0 and 10-0 in conference play. They will be in for more of a test next Tuesday when they travel to Mankato for a twin bill with East in a showdown of the last two unbeatens in the Big Nine.

Box Score:

FaribaultAustin

abrhbiabrhbi

LaCanne s3000Erstad 3b4000

Kes 1b3000Turvey 1b3100

Henry 3b3000

Seeck 1b1000

Fitzgerald 2b3010Kelly p4110

Williams c3000

Brady cr0100

Schotzko rf3010Feller c2100

Lindenberg p2000

Goettsch cr0000

Cashman cf2010Eslinger ss3114

DeLuca lf2010Hingeveld lf2000

White 1b0000

Sundberg cf3000

Rider rf3000

Jurgensen 2b3110

Totals24040Totals28634

Faribault0000000--047

Austin400011x--631

2B--Eslinger. SB--Jurgensen.

IPHRERBBSO

Faribault

Lindenberg L636325

Austin

Kelly W,12-0740003

WP--Lindenberg.