Austin Packers baseball team rallies in the late innings to down Winona 10-5 Tuesday

The Austin Packers baseball team was looking to snap a four-game losing streak in Winona versus the Winhawks in a Big 9 Conference and Section 1AAA matchup, and it was the Packers rallying in the last three innings to win a back-and-forth contest 10-5 to avenge a 7-6 loss to the Winhawks in Austin on April 15th.

Austin took an early 3-0 lead with three runs in the top of the first, but Winona came back in one run in the bottom of the third and four more in the fourth to take a 5-3 lead.  Undeterred, the Packers rallied back against Winhawks starter Carson Jones to score two in the fifth, three in the sixth and two more in the seventh off of reliever Carter Shields to account for the 10-5 final.

The Austin offense belted out 11 hits in the game, led by Sam Winkels, who went 3 for 4 with a home run, two doubles, three RBI’s and two runs scored, Peyton Ransom was 3 for 4 for the Packers with a double, two RBI’s and three runs scored, Brayden Bishop was 2 for 3 with a double, an RBI and two runs scored, Dakota Retterath chipped in two hits in three official trips to the plate with a run scored, and Nick Robertson was 1 for 4 with a double and an RBI.

Brayden Bishop got the start on the mound for Austin and went the first 3 1/3rd innings, giving up five runs, four earned, on five hits, striking out six and walking five, Sam Oelfke then came in with one out in the fourth inning and gave up no runs on one hit, with no strikeouts or walks, and Nick Robertson was credited with the win as he threw the last three innings for the Packers and gave up no runs on one hit, striking out two and walking none.

With the win, Austin is now 4-7 overall on the season, and the Packers are back in action Thursday for a doubleheader versus Faribault at Dick Seltz Field, with the first game starting at 4:00 p.m.  You’ll hear both game of the twinbill on AM 1480 KAUS after Minnesota Twins baseball, with the pre-game show getting underway at 3:50 p.m.