One run too many

Published 1:29 pm Wednesday, May 14, 2008

It was not a hitters’ night for the Packers or the Rockets, but the John Marshall got just enough offense to beat the Packers 1-0 in Todd Park Tuesday.

Austin (9-7 overall, 8-5 Big Nine) had a chance to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh when Tana Lukes led off the inning with a single and advanced to third on a stolen base and a wild pitch. The game ended when Ashley Crump and Autumn Jurgensen both struck out on 3-2 counts with Lukes on third.

“That was huge hit by Tana,” Austin head coach Steve Knox said. “All we needed was somebody else to step up and get a hit for us.”

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Lukes’ hit was the only one of the game as J-M starter DeAnna Mock struck out 16 and allowed just one walk.

“You’ve gotta swing the bat. When you stand up there and take a third strike it makes a difference,” Knox said. “We’ve just got step up and be able to swing and make contact. Put it in play and make the defense make plays.”

Mock drove in John Marshall’s only run in the fourth inning on a single to center field that just dropped in front of Jolene Brody in center field.

“Jolene almost had it and it was a close play,” Austin starting pitcher Autumn Jurgensen said.

Mock’s hit was the only one of the game for the Rockets, as Michelle Amundson reached on a Packer throwing error to open the fourth inning.

But Jurgensen wasn’t fazed by the unearned run as she allowed just one hit and one walk, while striking out 10 in seven innings.

“I’ve been sick, but today was better than I had expected,” Jurgensen said. “I didn’t warm up very well. But it was probably my best pitched game.”

At the plate, Jurgensen was one of three Packers to strike out three times against Mock.

“It’s a lot different seeing her when she’s warming up from the side,” Jurgensen said. “She has movement and she’s got a curve. She’s a very good pitcher.”

Austin will host Mankato East Wednesday at 6 p.m., before playing a doubleheader in Albert Lea Thursday and traveling to Mankato West Friday.

“It’s kind of nice to have a bunch of games going into sections. You can only do so much in practice,” Jurgensen.

The loss snapped a six-game winning streak for the Packers and broke a five-game losing streak for the Rockets (8-9 overall).

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E

John Marshall 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 0

Austin 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2

Austin pitching: Autumn Jurgensen (L), 7 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 10 K

Austin hitting: Sara Sundberg, 0-of-3; Tana Lukes, 1-of-2, 1 BB, 1 SB; Jolene Brody, 0-of-3; Ashley Crump, 0-of-3; Maggie Jorgenson, 0-of-3; Brittany Hoban, 0-of-2; Emma Arboe, 0-of-2; Tana Lukes, 0-of-2

John Marshall pitching: DeAnna Mock, 7 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 16 K

John Marshall hitting: Sarah Armstrong, 0-of-3; Michelle Amundson, 0-of-3; Kristen Thelen, 0-of-3; Maly Schacht, 0-of-3; DeAnna Mock, 1-of-3, RBI; Nicole Erickson, 0-of-3; JaStene Lovelace, 0-of-2; Katie Armstrong, 0-of-2; Carmen Walter, 0-of-2