The Austin softball team hit a speed bump in a season opening 10-6 loss at Faribault Tuesday.

The Packers (0-1 overall, 0-1 Big Nine) led 5-2 going into the bottom of the third, but an untimely line drive and some costly errors saw the Falcons score five unearned runs in that frame to take the lead for good.

“Marie Clennon was pitching a good game for us and then she got hit by a line drive and limped through the rest of the third inning,” Austin head coach Steve Knox said. “Then we had some errors.”

Jenni Yocom relieved Clennon after the third.

Offensively, Knox liked what he saw as Austin came up with nine hits.

“We saw some good things we can build on. We just need to work on our defense,” Knox said.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E

Austin 3 1 1 0 0 0 1 6 9 6

Faribault 0 2 5 3 0 0 X 10 10 2

Austin pitching: Marie Clennon (L), 3 IP, 4 H, 7 R, 2 ER, 2 K; Jenni Yocom, 3 IP, 5 H, 4 BB, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 K

Austin hitting: Sara Sundberg, 3-for-4, 2 R; Robin Arjes, 3-for-4, 2 RBIs, R; Sarah Alms, 2-for-4