The effort was there -- most of the time -- and so were the wins.

The Austin Legion Post 91 softball team, despite stranding a total of 21 runners on base, swept a doubleheader from visiting Albert Lea, 2-0 and 5-0, Thursday night at Todd Park.

The local Legion squad, now 11-1 overall and 6-0 in First District play, tallied 16 hits combined but rarely came up with the clutch hit. Fourteen runners were stranded in scoring position in the two games, but in the end Austin still had the advantage -- its pitching.

Abbey Bergstrom and Amy Kelly combined for 14 shutout innings, allowing a total of three hits against 18 strikeouts. Bergstrom, after hitting a batter in the first inning of game one, retired 17 straight before surrendering Albert Lea's only hit in a 2-0 Austin victory.

Kelly and the defense worked its way out of a first-inning jam in the nightcap thanks to an Albert Lea baserunning blunder. Bergstrom, starting game two in center field, made a tough running catch and fired to first for the inning-ending double play.

After allowing three baserunners in the first inning, Kelly went on to strike out 10 -- including four in a row -- and deliver another shutout. The Austin tandem of Kelly and Bergstrom has pitched six shutouts this season, meaning any lead has commonly been plenty.

"You can see that they know and they're comfortable with it," Austin co-coach Todd Waterbury said of his squad. "You don't notice a lot of urgency. They're pretty relaxed with how the game is going.

"As long as you get a couple runs, I suppose that's the big thing. But I'd like to see us take a little better advantage of our opportunities."

Austin left the bases loaded twice in the opener and once again in the nightcap. Nine of the 11 stranded in game two were in scoring position.

The local Legion team took a 1-0 lead in the second inning of game one on Teresa White's bases-loaded, two-out single to left field. Kelly led off the inning with a walk, stole second, moved to third on Nicole Turvey's single, and waited as Steph Sundberg walked with two outs. White, who was 2-2, came up with the big hit.

Bergstrom and Sundberg pieced together Austin's final run with singles in the fourth.

Quick recovery

Turvey's recovery from a sprained ankle appeared over as her hitting continued into the second game. Her second-inning single to center drove in Bergstrom with what proved to be the game-winning run. Turvey, who led the team by going 3-6 in the doubleheader, would later score on a passed ball.

Consecutive singles by Meggan Rider, Caitlin Jurgenson and Betsy Hingeveld and a walk to Keri Feller brought in Austin's third run. Feller added an RBI-groundout in the seventh and Kelly followed with a run-scoring single for the final score.

A diving catch by Bergstrom in center field highlighted Austin's defensive day, perhaps saving a run on a line drive by Albert Lea's Jenny Hovendick in the bottom of the sixth.

Hingeveld finished the doubleheader 3-7 with a run scored, and Jurgenson and White each totalled two hits.

To New Ulm

The Austin Legion Post 91 softball team takes its 11-1 record to the New Ulm Windmill Classic this weekend, starting with three games on Saturday.

Post 91 plays Springfield in their tourney-opener at 11 a.m. Austin plays against Victoria at 2 p.m. and Jackson at 5 p.m. Saturday's pool-play results will determine seeding for Sunday's championship bracket.

Linescores:

Game One

Albert Lea0000000--011

Austin010100x--270

WP--Bergstrom. LP--Paczkowski.

Game Two

Austin0200102--592

Albert Lea0000000--022

WP--Kelly. LP--Rafdal. 2B--Turvey.

Call Ross Thede at 434-2234 or e-mail him at :mailto:sports@austindailyherald.com.