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The No. 7 seeded Austin softball team found its swing for one big inning, but it wasn’t enough as its season came to an end in a 9-6 loss to No. 6 Red Wing in a Section 1AAA elimination game in Todd Park Thursday.

The Wingers (5-17 overall) scored five unearned runs in the game as they made the Packers pay for three errors. 

Austin (2-18 overall) trailed 7-0 after three innings, but the Packers posted six runs in the top of the fourth to get back in it. Jenna Hetzel and Quinn Osgood each singled in two runs and Katie VanPelt smashed an RBI triple.

“Hitting is contagious and we’ve just got to get them to see that. We talked about how the Mankato’s and Winona play ball all season and we need our girls to see more live pitching,” Austin head coach Lisa Lage said. “We need to take advantage of offseason opportunities and we need to get in the weight room.”

Abby VanPelt, Ava Denzer and Quinn Osgood all saw time in the circle for Austin, with Austin allowing just one run in three innings of work.

“They had a bunch of hits that were bloopers and what do you do? They kept finding that hole,” Lage said. “Quinn came in with a rough deficit and she stuck with it. We were telling her that she’s in charge when she’s up there and she did really well. I’m proud of all three of my pitchers. It was a long season and none of them ever gave up. They all worked hard.”

Austin 000  600  0  –  6  7  3

Red Wing 035 100  X  –  9  6  0

Austin pitching: Abby VanPelt (L) 2 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 3 R, 0 ER, 1 K; Ava Denzer, 1 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 3 ER; Quinn Osgood,  3 IP, 1 H, 2 BB, 1 ER, 2 K

Austin hitting: Katie VanPelt, 2-for-4, triple, RBI, 2 SB; Avery Wempner, 0-for-3; Abby VanPelt, 1-for-2, R, 2 BBs; Kathryn Crouch, 1-for-4, R; Maddie Herrick, 1-for-4, RBI, R; Peyton Squier, 0-for-4; Jenna Hetzel, 1-for-3, 2 RBIs, R; Ava Denzer, 2-for-3, SB; Quinn Osgood, 1-for-2, 2 RBIs, R, BB