Wingers start fast, knock off Packers
Published 5:25 pm Thursday, May 22, 2025
Austin’s KJ Schaefer winds up during a Section 1AAA playoff game against Red Wing Thursday afternoon at Todd Park. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald,com
Austin first baseman Jenna Hetzel and Red Wing’s Isabella Guetzlaff watch a pitch in during the first inning of a Section 1AAA playoff game Thursday afternoon at Todd Park. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Austin’s Charlee Cunningham steps into a pitch against Red Wing in a Section 1AAA playoff game Thursday afternoon at Todd Park. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Austin shortstop Quinn Osgood takes a throw at second on a Red Wing stolen base attempt during a Section 1AAA playoff game Thursday afternoon at Todd Park. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Austin’s Alexis Brede takes a lead off first during a Section 1AAA playoff game against Red Wing Thursday at Todd Park. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
The No. 6 seeded Austin softball team got off to a slow start and it couldn’t recover as its season ended on a 9-4 loss to No. 7 Red Wing in a Section 1AAA elimination game in Todd Park Thursday.
Red Wing’s Stella Johnson put the game out of reach when she drove in two runs with a two-out single to make it 8-2 in the fifth.
Despite the tough ending, Austin head coach Lisa Lage wants her team to focus on the strides the program made this spring.
“We can’t dwell on this game. We have to look at the great things we did this season and we had more wins this season than we had in the last four seasons combined,” Lage said. “That’s huge and a lot of people didn’t expect that. We did beat Kasson, Byron and Mayo. We beat really good teams. We need to go into the offseason thinking, we’ve got a really great future ahead of us.”
After falling behind 2-0, the Packers (9-13 overall) produced a scoring chance when Jenna Hetzel and Lexi Brede produced back-to-back two out singles in the bottom of the second, but Addi Cline lined out to first base to end the inning. The Wingers (4-16 overall) went on to score a pair of unearned runs in the top of the third to go up 5-0.
Austin had split the regular season series with the Wingers.
“I think with any sport, sometimes you go in thinking that we’ve beaten this team before and we’re going to beat them again,” Lage said. “You can’t go in there with that mindset, because if things go wrong, sometimes the wheels fall off.”
Quinn Osgood knocked in three runs as the Packers out-hit Red Wing 10-9.
The Packers will bring back much of their core next season, but the seniors Jenna Hetzel, Adi Cline and Katelynn Klouse all delivered a base hit in their final game with the team.
Red Wing 113 130 0 – 9 9 1
Austin 001 100 – 2 10 4
Austin pitching: KJ Schaefer, 7 IP, 9 H, 2 BB, 9 R, 5 ER 4 K
Austin hitting: Charlee Cunningham, 2-for-4, R; Katelynn Klouse, 1-for-4, R; Quinn Osgood, 2-for-4, 3 RBIs; Morgan Cass, 0-for-4; Schaefer, 2-for-3; Jenna Hetzel, 1-for-3, SB; Lexi Brede, 1-for-3, RBI; Addi Cline, 1-for-3, R; Lauren Bowe, 0-for-3; Ariel Wiedeman, R
