MANKATO — The Austin softball team lost a pair of nail-biters to one of the top teams in the Big Nine as the dropped both games of a doubleheader at Mankato East (8-1 overall) Monday.

The Packers led 2-1 going into the seventh inning of the nightcap, but lost 6-4 after the Cougars scored five runs in the top of the seventh and Austin dropped the opener 2-1.

Austin committed just four errors on the night, but three of them came in the seventh inning of the 6-4 loss.

“We played really well and I’m very proud of them,” Austin head coach Cindy Owen said. “When it came to crunch time, we just couldn’t get it done.”

Abbey Ball pitched 11 innings and allowed just six hits and three runs for the Packers (3-7 overall, 1-6 Big Nine).

Shayley Vesel went 5-for-8 on the day for the Packers, who had scattered eight hits in the game one loss.

Austin played both games as the home team as the doubleheader was originally scheduled to be played in Austin.

Mankato East 2, Austin 1

Austin pitching: Abbey Ball (L), 7 IP, 6 H, 2 BB, 2 R, 3 K

Austin hitting: Shayley Vesel, 3-for-4; Abby Bickler, 2-for-4, double, RBI; Ball, 1-for-3, double; Jaidyn Bastian, 1-for-3, double; Kallie Hart, 1-for-3

Mankato East 6, Austin 4

Austin pitching: Ball, 4 IP, 3 BB, 1 R; Bastian, 3 IP, 4 H, 2 BB, 5 R, 1 K

Austin hitting: Vesel, 2-for-4; Sydney Murphy, 2-for-3, 2 RBIs; Ball, 1-for-4; Lisa Stundahl, 2-for-4, RBI; Jessie Smith, 1-for-4