The Austin softball team got off to a rough start in the Elks Invite, but it had a solid performance from a sophomore pitcher to salvage the day in Todd Park Friday.

Austin lost its first game 12-1 in five innings to Pine Island and it beat Blooming Prairie 3-1 in the nightcap.

Austin sophomore Tori Gardner pitched one scoreless inning against PI (6-1 overall) and she allowed just one run and struck out eight in seven innings of work against the Awesome Blossoms. BP had runners on second and third with one out in the top of the seventh and Gardner was able to get out of the jam by forcing a fly out and a ground out.

“That’s the best she’s pitched all year,” Austin head coach Al Eckmann said of Gardner. “She’s getting better and getting more confident and that’s kind of the hope we have for these young pitchers.”

Gardner had just one walk in eight innings in the circle after Austin had walked three batters in the first inning alone against PI. She came out relaxed and threw strikes to earn her first ever varsity pitching win.

“Road games are really hard for me, but I think the support at home has helped me a lot,” Gardner said. “I’m glad to finish today on a good note.”

Austin senior Shayley Vesel singled in a run in the third to put Austin (2-5 overall) up 2-1 and she also was a solid presence behind the plate for the Packers.

“I’m definitely not used to catching, but Tori’s a really good pitcher and she pitched well today,” Vesel said.

BP (2-4 overall) was without its top hurler in Elly Strunk, but McKenna Hein allowed just five hits in six innings of work. Emma Christianson knocked in a run for BP and Bria Baldwin was 2-for-3 with a double.

“That was by far the best game we’ve played all year,” BP head coach Ali Mach said. “It’s taken quite some time for us to get to that point, but I’m very pleased with that game. There were some close calls that could’ve gone either way, but the girls are pretty pumped up and excited for how they played.”

Austin fell behind 11-1 after two innings against PI and it was never able to get in that contest.

“The first game was the disaster zone,” Eckmann said. “The name of the game is pitching and we didn’t have any. I told them it’s over and we need to forget about it.”

PI 8 3 0 1 0 — 12 10 0

Austin 0 1 0 0 0 — 1 2 4

Austin pitching: Brooke Pazuruek (L) 1/3 IP, 3 H, 3 BB, 8 R, 1 HBP; Jaidyn Bastian, 3 2/3 IP, 8 H, 1 BB, 3 R, 1 K; Tori Gardner, 1 IP, 0 R

Austin hitting: Kelsey Sederquest, 0-for-2; Adison Medgarden, 0-for-2; Jaidyn Bastian, 0-for-2; Shayley Vesel, 1-for-2; Brandi Myers, 0-for-2; Jordan Huntley, 1-for-1, BB; Hannah Rasmussen, 0-for-2, RBI; Halie Retterath, 0-for-1; Ally Wood, 0-for-1; Hannah Biwer, 0-for-1, R; Bailee Brooks, 0-for-1; Jess Piel, 0-for-1

BP 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 — 1 5 0

Austin 0 0 2 1 0 0 X — 3 5 1

Austin pitching: Gardner (W) 7 IP, 5 H, 1 BB, 1 ER, 8 K

Austin hitting: Bailee Brooks, 0-for-2; Brooke Pazurek, 0-for-2, BB, R, SB; Medgarden, 0-for-3; Vesel, 1-for-2, RBI, SB, BB; Myers, 1-for-2, BB; Huntley, 1-for-3; Rasmussen, 0-for-3; Retterath, 0-for-1, BB; Taylor Derry, 1-for-3, SB, R; Sederquest, 1-for-1; Wood, SB; Hannah Burkhart, R

BP pitching: McKenna Hein (L) 6 IP, 5 H, 4 BB, 3 ER, 1 K

BP hitting: Linnea Sunde, 0-for-4; Emma Christianson, 1-for-3, RBI; Hein, 0-for-3; Bria Baldwin, 2-for-3, double; Maya Lembke, 0-for-2, BB; Anika Nowlan, 1-for-3; Kalyn Naatz, 0-for-3; Jerrin Jax, 1-for-2, R; Abby Wayne, 0-for-3