Packers pound out the hits in win over Mankato West
Published 7:54 pm Thursday, April 26, 2018
- Austin’s Josi Bothun turns for the tag on Mankato West’s Benjamin Hopper on a play at third Thursday at Dick Seltz Field. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
It was a long wait to get the season started, but the Austin baseball team has come out swinging this week. After racking up the runs in a sweep of Rochester Mayo on Tuesday, the Packers beat Mankato West 9-1 in their home opener in Dick Seltz Field Thursday.
Austin has now tallied 41 hits and 40 runs in its last three games.
Austin’s Ross Young swings on a pitch against Mankato West Thursday at Dick Seltz Field. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
“We’re miles ahead of where we were last year,” Austin head coach Joe Kroc said. “Some guys are really swinging it and they’re buying into what we do. I thought in the late innings [today], guys were maybe trying to do a little too much, but that’s three games now where we’ve had double digit hits. Guys are swinging the bats well and we’ll see what happens when we start facing some better pitching.”
The Packers put up four runs in each of the first two innings to jump out to an 8-0 lead on the Scarlets (2-3 overall, 1-3 Big Nine). Hunter Johnson had an RBI single and Michael O’Connor had two-run single in the first for Austin (3-1 overall, 2-1 Big Nine). In the second inning, Pete Conner had an RBI single, Phillip Zynda doubled in a run, AJ Mueller hit a sacrifice fly and Josi Bothun singled in a run.
Austin pitcher Nate Murphy on the mound against Mankato West Thursday at Dick Seltz Field. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Zynda said the time in the dome gave the Packers a head start against the competition as they were able to face off against live pitching in the batting cage.
“We’ve been working hard in the dome for a long time and we’ve had our top pitchers going against us,” Zynda said. “We’ve already faced some of the best pitchers in the conference [in practice] and I feel like a lot of us are locked in.”
Austin’s pitchers got the job done on Thursday as well. Nate Murphy allowed zero earned runs in five innings as he struck out seven and Michael O’Connor and Jack Dankert, who is coming back from a hockey injury, each pitched a scoreless frame.
“Murphy did a good job and he was filling up the strike zone,” Kroc said. “Michael’s been pitching well and throwing strike and it’s good to get Jack back and get him an inning. We’ve got three weeks until playoffs and we’re hoping to get Jack back at full strength by then.”
Mueller, a junior, had a big week for the Packers as he went six-for-13 with 10 RBIs in three games, but he’s not going to get too far ahead of himself.
“We just have to go game by game. We can’t look too far ahead,” Mueller said. “Just being able to see live pitching [before the season] puts us at a huge advantage.”
Austin’s Jack Dankert comes in to home on a play at the plate against Mankato West Thurdsay night at Dick Seltz Field. Dankert would score on the play. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
West 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 — 1 2 2
Austin 4 4 0 0 1 0 X — 9 12 2
Austin pitching: Nate Murphy (W) 5 IP, 2 H, 3 BB, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 HBP, 7 K; Michael O’Connor, 1 IP, 0 R; Jack Dankert, 1 IP, 0 R, 1 K
Austin hitting: Jack Dankert, 1-for-4, R; Pete Conner, 2-for-4, RBI, 3 R; Philip Zynda, 2-for-2, double, RBI, 2 BBs; AJ Mueller, 2-for-3, RBI, R; Josi Bothun, 1-for-4, 2 RBIs; Hunter Johnson, 1-for-3, RBI, R; Riley Retterath, 1-for-2, BB, HBP; O’Connor, 1-for-3, 2 RBIs, HBP; Ross Young, 1-for-3, R; Hunter Guyette, 2 R; Andrew Schumacher, 0-for-1
