Packers’ upset bid comes up short

Published 4:57 pm Sunday, May 29, 2011

The Packers just missed a major upset when they fell to top-seeded Rochester Century 3-2 in a first round Section 1AAA baseball elimination game in Rochester Saturday.

The Panthers (16-5 overall) came back from a run down to win it in the bottom of the seventh when Nolan Van Nurden and Mitchell Gade each drove in runs with one out.

“I wish we could’ve pulled it out, but I’ll give them credit. They came up with the hits,” Austin head coach Troy Watkins said. “It’s been a tough season, but we played probably our best game of the year and I was proud of how we competed.”

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No. 12 seeded Austin (3-16 overall) led 2-0 after five innings and Quinn Yocom just missed a diving catch on center field on a two-out run scoring double by Mitch Brown in the sixth inning.

Brown struck out 13, but Austin got to him early as Gabe Kasak singled and scored on an Aaron Goetz single in the first.

“It gave us some momentum to get a run of Brown right away,” Watkins said.

Austin pitching: Jacob Thompson (L), 6 1/3 IP, 7 H, 3 BB, 3 ER, 4 K

Austin hitting: Gabe Kasak, 2-for-3, 2 R, 2 SB; Aaron Goetz, 1-for-2, RBI