The Packers softball team couldn’t get their bats going as they dropped both games of a doubleheader to Rochester Mayo by scores of 3-1 and 7-3 in Todd Park Thursday.

Austin (1-2 overall, 1-2 Big Nine) led through most of the opener, but the Spartans (3-0 overall, 3-0 Big Nine) rallied for three runs in the top of the seventh to steal the win.

After the Packers dropped a pop fly to start the inning, Makinzee Kazeck singled, Linsy Hoosier knocked in a run to tie the game with a one-out single and Kazeck scored on a ground ball by beating out a throw from Austin second baseman Kaycee Lukes to the plate.

“In the seventh inning I think we played not to lose,” Austin head coach Tina Strauss said. “We got tight and started the inning a little off.”

The seventh inning was a blemish on an otherwise quality game for Austin. Sophomore pitcher Marie Clennon struck out Mayo’s Courtney Palmer with runners on second and third to end the sixth, catcher Brandi Ruroden threw out two runners trying to steal and Lukes made a nice running grab to end the first inning when Mayo had runners on first and second.

“They played great in that first game and Marie really dug down and pitched extremely well,” Strauss said. “We played solid defense and we’ve been working on doing the basic things right in practice.”

Austin’s lone run came in the second inning when Ruroden beat out an infield single with one out. When Ruroden took off to steal second, Mayo threw the ball into right field and Ruroden, a junior, hustled all the way home to put her team up 1-0.

“We work on being aggressive on the bases every day and we work on players making instinctive decisions without a coach telling them what to do,” Strauss said. “That was really great to see Brandi make such a good decision that paid off.”

Besides that hit, Mayo pitcher Sarah Bohlen had her way with the Austin lineup as she struck out seven of the first nine hitters she faced. She pitched four shutout innings in the second game as well.

“Props to their pitcher, she had a lot of speed. The bottom line is, they out-hit us tonight,” Strauss said.

Mayo jumped out to a 6-1 lead after three innings in the second game.

Clennon had an RBI single up the middle in the second inning and Ashley Crump belted a run scoring double to center field in the sixth inning for Austin.

Austin freshman Jennifer Yocom also came in the game and struck out four in five innings.

“Her change-up was dynamite tonight and she really did well,” Strauss said.

Mayo 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 — 3 7 1

Austin 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 — 1 1 4

Austin pitching: Marie Clennon (L), 7 IP, 7 H, 2 BB, 3 R, 1 ER, 9 K

Austin hitting: Kaycee Lukes, 0-for-2, BB; Katelyn Joseph, 0-for-3; Sara Sundberg, 0-for-2, BB; Robin Arjes, 0-for-3; Brandi Ruroden, 1-for-3, R, SB; Clennon, 0-for-2; Bri Mayer, 0-for-2; Audrey DeVries, 0-for-2; Sara Alms, 0-for-2

Mayo pitching: Sarah Bohlen (W), 7 IP, 1 H, 2 BB, 1 R, 0 ER, 12 K

Mayo hitting: Linsy Hoosier, 2-for-4, RBI, R; Emma Leof, 2-for-4; Bohlen, 1-for-3; Emily Jasperson, 1-for-3, R; Makinzee Kazeck, 1-for-3, R; Kaitlyn Trangsrud, 0-for-1, RBI

Mayo 1 3 2 0 0 0 1 — 7 10 2

Austin 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 — 3 6 4

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

Austin hitting: Lukes, 1-for-4; Joseph, 0-for-3, R, SB; Sundberg, 1-for-3; Ashley Crump, 1-for-2, double, RBI, R, SB; Ruroden, 1-for-3, R; Clennon, 1-for-3, RBI; Mayer, 0-for-2; Rachel Donavan, 1-for-3; Alms, 0-for-2; Katelyn Fisher, 0-for-1

Mayo pitching: Bohlen (W), 4 IP, 3 H, 1 ER; Kelli Anderson, 3 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER

Mayo hitting: Hoosier, 2-for-4, double, RBI; Bohlen, 2-for-4, triple, 3 RBIs; Leof, 1-for-4, RBI; Jasperson, 2-for-4; Anderson, 1-for-4; Trangsrud, 1-for-3; Melissa Conger, 1-for-1