Austin softball team has its season end to Farmington

Published 9:02 pm Friday, May 22, 2009

Things got off to a good start for the Austin softball team, but they ended badly in a 10-0 loss in the Section 1AAA playoffs elimination round Friday at Todd Park.

The No. 10 seeded Packers (7-15 overall) played solid softball for the first three innings, but were bit by the error-bug in the fourth inning when they committed five miscues that led to six unearned runs. All 10 of Farmington’s runs were unearned on the day.

“(Early on) they communicated well, they played good defense and we had some runners on base,” Austin head coach Steve Knox said. “The roof just fell in when some of the errors started to occur.”

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After Marie Clennon pitcher her way out of a jam were the Tigers had a runner on third with no outs, the Packers placed runners on second and third in the bottom of the first but Brandi Ruroden grounded out to end the frame.

Austin als had runners on secnd and third in the fifth, but Kaycee Lukes flew out.

The Packers mustered just three hits at that plate on the day.

“Any time a team scores six runs in one inning, your confidence drops a little bit and then you don’t play as well as you did before,” Knox said. “This is a young team and it’s one more growing pain we have to go through before next season.”

The Packers will graduate two seniors from this year’s team — Jolene Brody and Cassy Rockers.

Brody had some encouraging words for next year’s returning.

“Jolene told the girls not to to forget this feeling tonight, because you don’t ever want to have this feeling again,” Knox said. “That says a lot for what a leader she is.”

1 2 3 4 5 6 R H E

F 0 0 0 6 0 4 10 4 1

A 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 8

Austin pitching: Marie Clennon (L), 6 IP, 4 H, 4 BB, 8 R, 0 ER, 2 K

Austin hitting: Sara Alms, 1-for-3; Kaycee Lukes, 0-for-2, BB; Sara Sundberg, 0-for-3; Robin Arjes, 0-for-2, BB; Brandi Ruroden, 0-for-3; Ashley Crump, 1-for-2; Bri Mayer, 1-for-1; Jolene Brody, 0-for-1; Kelli Bednar, 0-for-1

Farmington pitching: Amanda Karppi (W), 6 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 0 R, 2 K

Farmington hitting: Sam Jensen, 0-for-4; Shannon Doherty, 1-for-4; Dani Muelken, 0-for-4; Kelsey Betzold, 0-for-1, 3 BBs; Megan Nekowitsch, 1-for-4, 2 RBIs; Sydney Silk, 1-for-4; Karppi, 0-for-3; Amanda Kepler, 1-for-3; Kirstee Rotty, 0-for-2, BB