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33 years after claiming the state crown, the 1987 Packers softball team are remembered by those who were there

 

It has been over three decades, but Al Eckmann still has the video tape, the newspapers and the memories to prove that he was part of one of the greatest postseason softball runs in Minnesota State High School League history.

Eckmann’s third and final state title as Austin softball head coach may have been his sweetest as the 1987 Packers defied the odds to win the Minnesota Class AA state title. Austin had to win five straight elimination games just to get to state, it trailed in its first two games at the state tournament, and it had to play in the longest game in Minnesota State Softball Tournament history to clinch the state title, when the Packers topped St. Cloud Apollo 2-1 in 19 innings.

Eckmann has memories of having to wait even longer to celebrate after the marathon game of three hours and 47 minutes ended as he and his team were mobbed by the Twin Cities’ media that stuck around to cover the Packers.

“After the game, it took forever to get out of there because I had to talk to everybody. It was fun,” Eckmann said. “We still talk about that every once in a while. It’s something that we’re never going to forget. If you win it, you should talk about it. They were just a bunch of kids who wanted to win and wanted to play. We had fun all of the time. It was a fun, fun team to coach.”

Pam Loock had a state record 18 assists, throwing 274 pitches and striking out 17 in the title game in the midst of a two-day stretch that saw her throw 37 innings. She battled an injury during the season, but Loock was at her best in Austin’s postseason run as she fired off eight one-hitters in Austin’s tournament run.

“It was a long time ago. I remember it being a really exciting time,” said Loock, who is in the AHS and Minnestoa Coach’s Fast-pitch Hall of Fame. “It was cold and windy and the game went on and on. It was a pitcher’s duel. The team was behind me the whole way and it seemed like it was never going to end. We came out on top and it was a game that could have gone any way. Whoever had it at the end won and it was a great feeling. I felt bad for the other pitcher.”

Unfortunately for Loock, it would be one of the last big games she would pitch in as she hurt her shoulder in her first semester at the University of Oklahoma and was not able to compete for the Sooners. She looks back on the 1987 season fondly and she has remained close to the other Packer who played a big role in the title game win — Bobbi Jo (Rector) Richard, who had the go-ahead RBI in the top of the 19th inning.

Richard was a sophomore on the 1987 team and she spent most of her time as a utility player, so she was a little surprised when Eckmann called on her name as a pinch hitter. After fouling off a couple of pitches, Richard lined a pitch down the right field line for a go-ahead RBI.

Richard remembers a lot about that moment, but she forgot that she had to be settled down by her first base coach when she repeatedly jumped on first base in celebration.

“It wasn’t unusual for me to pinch hit, but I guess it was a little more nerve-racking than the previous situations I’d been in. I kind of felt that if they had the confidence in me, then maybe this was it,” Richard said. “I remember fouling off pitches and it made me relax a little bit more and I remember seeing the winning run score. That was a fighting team; we did everything the hard way. That year taught me to never give up and always strive to do something better. It doesn’t always get handed to you, but you have to work for what you want.”

The Packers earned the nickname of “The Cardiac Kids” as they had plenty of heroics in their title run. Brandi (Berg) Halsey knocked in Penny (Folie) Gilson in the 11th inning to beat Cottage Grove in the state tournament.

Shelley Rolfson had a key bunt single that scored to beat Owatonna 2-1 and she converted a sucide squeeze to beat Rosemount 5-3 in the Region Tournament. Tricia Bednar had a two-run homer in a 5-1 over Faribault in the Region title game. The Packers had to beat Faribault twice to get to state after losing to the Falcons twice in the regular season and once in the Regional Tournament.

Halsey, who was All-State in 1987, played most of the season with a broken thumb she sustained while stealing second base, but she was able to find ways to be a productive hitter and outfielder for the Packers. She remembers every step of Austin’s run, even how she began to grow impatient in the title game.

“When we got to the 17th inning, I was like ‘are you kidding me? End it soon,’” Halsey said. “Bobbi Jo’s hit went up and over the first baseman’s head and it hit the chalk line. It was a fair ball. It was so exciting. We just never gave up.”

Halsey went on to coach with Eckmann recently and she said he may have softened up a bit with his approach over the years, but she will always have complete respect for him as a leader.

“Al kind of did for softball what Kris Fadness did for basketball,” Halsey said. “Nobody will ever match what Al did for Austin softball. He was a good coach. He took chances and he knew what he was doing.”

Gilson stayed involved in softball well after her time with the Packers. She coached in Austin and Southland and she is now an umpire.

Gilson has plenty of memories from 1987, including a bat breaking in warm ups at the state tournament. But mostly, she remembers how close the team was, on and off the field. The Packers would do Chinese fire drills to break up long bus trips, they went to drive-in movies together and they shared many laughs.

“That was probably the most exciting time of our lives. We played together for a long time and it was an awesome thing to end our senior year that way,” Gilson said. “Every once in a while I run into people who remember that team when I’m coaching up in the cities. I was talking to one umpire and he was the one who worked behind the plate in the state championship game. One thing about that team is that we never gave up. It didn’t matter if we were down, we could rally and come back and win it.”

Austin has had some close calls in reclaiming a state title in recent years as the Packer boys basketball team, baseball team, girls basketball team, boys soccer team and gymnastics team have all flirted with greatness in recent years. But the 1987 Packer softball team remains Austin’s last team champion.

“It was an experience that you never get over and you never forget. It was just a wonderful feeling,” Halsey said. “I’ll be a Packer for life and I can’t wait for the day when one of our teams takes over that crown and wins a state tournament.”