The Austin softball team couldn’t find its offense or its defense as it dropped all three of its games at the Elks Invite in Todd Park Friday.

The Packers (3-5 overall) had 16 combined hits and 15 combined errors in the three losses.

“We had some fielding errors that were detrimental to the games and I think it gets a little frustrating for a pitcher when that happens and you kind of get down,” Austin head coach Tina Strauss said.

Austin lost to Dover/Eyota 6-1, Belle Plaine 10-0 in five innings and Rochester Mayo 9-3.

The Packers had early chances to score against Belle Plaine as it stranded runners on first and third in the first and it left a runner on third when Taylor Hackensmith was caught stealing to end the third.

Bell Plaine took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth when Lizzy Eischens lifted two-run homerun over the centerfield fence, but the Tigers did most of their damage in the fifth. That frame started off with the Packers making three straight errors as BP put up seven unearned runs on the board.

Austin had some early offense on the day as Linsdsey Miller tripled in a run in the second inning to make it 3-1 in the D/E game, but she was stranded at third and the Packers had just two hits the rest of the way.

“We had a really hard time hitting the slower pitchers and we just couldn’t find that rhythm to stay in a hitting groove,” Strauss said.

Austin junior catcher Danielle Tschann had a solid game against Mayo as she went 2-for-3 with a double at the plate, while turning two key double plays on defense.

Austin trailed 4-3 in the third when Tschann fielded a one-out bunt, threw to first to get one out and then got a throw back from Abbey Ball to tag out a runner at the plate and end the frame.

In the fourth inning, she dove to catch a pop fly off a bunt attempt and threw to first to get a double play, however the Spartans responded by getting their next six hitters on base as they pushed their lead to 9-3.

For the second straight year, the Elks Invite had to be played in one day instead of two, due do weather.

“I think this tournament is cursed,” Strauss joked. “But it’s great to get the games in and we have some really great teams here. You’ve got to learn from those that are succeeding and there’s nothing wrong with stealing what works (from those teams).”

DE 1 2 1 0 0 2 0 — 6 12 1

Austin 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 — 1 5 6

Austin pitching: Marie Clennon (L), 7 IP, 12 H, 1 BB, 6 R, 3 ER, 6 K

Austin hitting: Lindsey Miller, 2-for-3, BB; Katelyn Joseph, 0-for-3; Clennon, 1-for-3, SB; Danielle Tschann, 0-for-1, 2 BBs; Taylor Hackensmith, 0-for-3; Abbey Ball, 0-for-3; Abby Gallaher, 0-for-2, BB; Liz Gerhart, 1-for-3; Haley Underwood, 1-for-3, double; Hope McAlister, 0-for-1

BP 1 0 0 2 7 — 10 8 1

Austin 0 0 0 0 0 — 0 3 3

Austin pitching: Ball (L), 5 IP, 8 H, 2 BB, 10 R, 3 ER, 7 K

Austin hitting: Miller, 0-for-1, 2 BBs; Joseph, 0-for-2; Clennon, 2-for-3, double; Hackensmith, 0-for-1, BB; Tschann, 0-for-2; Ball, 0-for-1, BB; McAlister, 1-for-2; Gerhart, 0-for-1; Underwood, 0-for-2; Amber Schmit, SB

Austin 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 — 3 8 6

Mayo 4 0 0 5 0 0 X — 9 8 1

Austin pitching: Jennifer Yocom (L), 5 1/3 IP, 8 H, 4 BB, 8 R, 6 ER, 2 K; Clennon, 2/3 IP, 0 R, 1 K

Austin hitting: Miller, 1-for-4; Joseph, 0-for-3, R; Clennon, 1-for-4; Hackensmith, 2-for-3, HBP; Ball, 0-for-3; Tschann, 2-for-3, double, R; Amber Schmit, 0-for-1; Yocom, 2-for-3, R; Underwood, 0-for-3