The Packers showed a good mix of patience and aggressiveness at the plate in a sweep of Albert Lea at Todd Park Thursday in a softball doubleheader.

Austin (2-1 overall, 2-1 Big Nine) drew eight walks in a 10-0 win and compiled 13 hits in a 9-5 nightcap win over the Tigers.

Austin senior Sara Sundberg helped clinch the 9-5 win with a two-out base hit up the middle to score Sara Alms from second to give the Packers a 6-5 lead in the bottom of the sixth.

Austin would plate three more runs in the frame as Jolene Brody scored on a wild pitch and Sundberg scored on a passed ball. Then, with two outs and nobody on base, Robin Arjes doubled and scored on a single by Bri Mayer.

Austin fell behind 3-0 in the top of the first inning, but Arjes, a junior lefty, blasted a three-run homer well over the right field fence to tie things up in the bottom of the first.

“The pitch was a high one ,” Arjes said. “I knew (my hit) was sailing, I just didn’t know how far. (My teammates) all told me it boosted everyone’s confidence and then we came back and everyone started hitting. I just knew we would come back.”

Freshman pitcher Marie Clennon notched her first career varsity victory in the first game, in which she pitched five shutout innings. She also picked up the win in relief in the second game, in which she got to see the Albert Lea batting order for a second time.

“After you know what they’re gonna do, you kind of know what to throw. It gets easier,” she said.

The Austin defense also stepped it up big time. After committing six errors in a 10-6 loss to Faribault Tuesday, the Packers committed just two miscues in 12 innings of play Thursday.

“I think we worked as a team and we were all focused. It’s a lot easier when you can rely on your whole team (on defense),” Clennon said.

In the first game, Austin had just three hits, but Albert Lea’s Nichelle Klatt walked six batters in the bottom of the fourth, which saw Austin score eight times to instigate the 10-run rule. Austin had two hits in that frame — a two-run single by Brandi Ruroden and a run-scoring single by Brody.

The Packers scored twice in the first inning when Alms and Sundberg scored on back-to-back wild pitches.

Austin head coach Steve Knox said that Arjes’ power display may be a sign of things to come from the slugger.

“She’s got the ability to do that for us,” he said. “We’ve got some kids that can swing the bat if they keep their eye on the ball and drive it.”

1 2 3 4 5 R H E

AL 0 0 0 0 0 — 0 2 1

Austin 2 0 0 8 X 10 3 0

Austin pitching: Marie Clennon (W), 5 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 0 R, 6 K

Austin hitting: Sara Alms, 2 BBs, 2 R, SB; Kaycee Lukes, 0-for-2, BB, RBI, R; Sara Sundberg, 1-for-3, R, SB; Robin Arjes, 0-for-1, 2 BBs, R, SB; Bri Mayer, 0-for-2, RBI, BB, SB; Ashley Crump, 0-for-1, BB, R; Jolene Brody, 1-for-2, RBI, R; Rachel Donavan, 0-for-1, BB, R; Brandi Ruroden, 1-for-2, RBI

AL pitching: Nichelle Klatt (L), 4 IP, 3 H, 8 BB, 10 R, 7 ER, 4 K

AL hitting: Kristine Kelly, 1-for-2; Courtney Schnaith, 1-for-2

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E

AL 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 — 5 4 0

Austin 3 0 1 1 0 4 X — 9 13 2

Austin pitching: Jenny Yocom, 2 IP, 3 H, 1 BB, 4 ER; Marie Clennon (W), 5 IP, 1 H, 2 BB, 1 ER, 2 K

Austin hitting: Alms, 1-for-3, R, BB; Katlynne Fisher, 1-for-1, R, BB; Sundberg, 3-for-4, RBI, 2 R; Arjes, 2-for-4, HR, double, 3 RBIs, 2 R; Mayer, 1-for-4, RBI; Crump, 2-for-4, RBI; Lukes, 0-for-3; Donavan, 1-for-3, double, R; Ruroden, 1-for-2, BB; Brody, 1-for-2, double, RBI, R

AL pitching: Lana Howe (L), 6 IP, 13 H, 3 BB, 9 ER, 4 K

AL hitting: Kelly, 1-for-4, double; Lauren Klick, 1-for-3, double, RBI; Kim Nelson, 0-for-3, RBI; Caylee Tennis, 2-for-3, triple