The Austin U16 softball team took a pair of games from Owatonna Monday night, the second game coming on some late game heroics.

Haley Keifer delivered a triple with the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth to give Austin a 5-3 lead that would go on to be a 6-5 win.

“That was kind of what won the game for us,” coach Lisa Bickler-Quedow said. “It was a good confidence booster for her.”

Keifer also came on and pitched the sixth and seventh innings to get the win giving up two runs on two hits with one strikeout. She finished 1-for-2 at the plate with three RBIs.

Abby Ball pitched the first five innings giving up three runs on eight hits with two walks, three strikeouts and one hit batter.

McKayla Swanson went 1-for-2 with a double and an RBI.

“Overall this was just a good team efforts,” Bickler-Quedow said. “We had some girls step up and they did a good job.”

Austin also won the first game of Monday’s doubleheader by the same score of 6-5. Ball went the distance in picking up the win, giving up five runs on seven hits with three strikeouts, two walks and one hit batter.

Laura Siegfreid went 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI, Ball was 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI and Alisa Sforza was 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI.

“We made some really nice defensive plays,” Bickler-Quedow said. “Haley (Keifer) played centerfield for us and made some nice diving catches and Abby Ball pitched well.”

The two wins came off a rough Austin-hosted tournament that saw the team go 0-5.

Ball pitched the first four games of the Austin Twister Tournament while Keifer pitched the fifth game.

Austin lost to Owatonna 9-8 in the first game. Ball recorded two strikeouts and gave up four walks. Shaylee Vesel went 3-for-4, Swanson was 2-for-4 with a double and three RBIs and Sforza was 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs.

Austin dropped their second game of the weekend, 6-3 to Waseca. Austin’s three runs came on two hits in the game.

In game three it was Red Wing nipping Austin in extra innings. Despite the loss, Ball had a strong game from the mall tallying seven strikeouts and giving up just one walk. Austin’s two runs came on six hits.

Austin dropped a harsh one to Minnesota Synergy, 14-3.

Seigfried went 2-for-2 with an RBI from the plate.

Game five was another close loss to Red Wing, 7-6. Austin had six runs on five hits.

Keifer was 1-for-1 with a triple and stolen base and Ball was 2–for-2 with a double, home run and three RBIs.

“We battled each game if this tournament,” Bickler-Quedow said. “We learned a lot about ourselves as a team. Defense wins games and we need to stay intense each innings. Offensively we have lots if talent and options – for the weekend we left 24 runners in base.”e score half if these and it is a different tournament.”