The defense played flawless and Austin pitcher Amy Kelly fed off it in a 2-0 Big Nine Conference softball victory for the Packers over Rochester Mayo Saturday at Todd Park.

Kelly struck out eight, got 10 ground-ball outs, and allowed only one hit as Austin (11-2) moved to 10-1 in the Big Nine to set the stage for Tuesday's league doubleheader with Mankato East. The Cougars have only one Big Nine loss this season as well.

"They come back so well, that's what we've found out this season," Austin coach Todd Waterbury said of his resiliently youthful squad. "Today just wasn't a day when everybody was hitting."

Kylene Erstad had two of Austin's five hits as the Packers completed the season sweep of Mayo with another 2-0 victory. Erstad has hit 9-13 (.692) since making the move to the leadoff spot three games ago.

Austin needed eight innings to stop the Spartans in their first meeting in Rochester, but the Packers' solo run in the first inning ended the suspense early.

Chelsea McColley reached on a fielder's choice and Kelly via an error, and Steph Eslinger came through with a high-hopping single over the third baseman to drive in McColley. The entire sequence came with two outs after Erstad was forced out at second on McColley's grounder back to the mound.

Austin added an insurance run in the third as Betsy Hingeveld reached on an error -- one of four Mayo miscues -- to lead off the inning. Two outs later, Eslinger lifted a fly ball to left-center field that was dropped allowing Hingeveld to come around.

"We got a couple of runs early, and that's really what we wanted to do," Coach Waterbury said. "I just didn't feel we were as focused at the plate as we needed to be."

Mayo's Brittany Rathbun painted the outside corner on Austin's hitters throughout the game, striking out seven while walking none. Neither of the Packers' runs came earned to Rathbun.

Kelly walked three in her seventh shutout this season, and her defense held up to what little pressure Mayo could apply. Mayo leadoff hitter Shelly Monahan reached with a walk to start the game, but was picked off at first by Packer catcher Keri Feller on the very next pitch.

"(Kelly) walked more than she wanted to, that's the only thing she was off with," Waterbury said. "That was a great play to get the runner at first early in the game."

Only two balls off the Spartans' bats reached the outfield, including a second-inning grounder that saw Austin right fielder Caitlin Jurgenson throw the baserunner out at first.

"It's nice to know you have a team behind you to make the plays," Waterbury said.

Only two Spartan baserunners reached second throughout the game as Kelly faced three more than the minimum.

The Packers' doubleheader with Mankato East starts Tuesday night at 5 p.m. at Todd Park.

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