In a slump: Owatonna drops second-straight contest in 14-2 loss to Austin

Just a day removed from being the victim of a no-hitter, the Owatonna baseball team was looking to regroup and get back to on track against Austin Thursday.
The Packers, winners of their last two, were looking to make it three in a row.
Austin didn’t just win, they dominated.
Nursing a 6-0 lead, the Packers crushed seven hits for eight runs in the top of the third inning as they cruised to a 14-2 win over the Huskies (5-3, 1-1 Big Nine) at Darrts Park in a shortened Big Nine Conference game.
“We’re in a funk right now,” commented Huskies skipper Tate Cummings. “Guys are thinking and pressing, game become really challenging when you’re in that mindset.”
The Huskies struggles started early and like a papercut, slowly lingered for the vast majority of the game. Despite opening the game with a strikeout, junior Abe Havelka got into trouble early, giving up a pair of walks in the four batters faced to have the bases loaded. On a full count, the junior surrendered the first run of the game with his third walk of the game.
A throwing error by second baseman Kodey Kiel would allow two more runs to cross the plate. In just 1 1/3 innings of work, Havelka gave up five runs on four hits and walked three. He would be relieved by Brady Schuster in the second inning. Schuster would face just four batters before Brock Hanson would come in relief with a bases loaded situation in the top of the third inning.
That’s when the wheels feel off.
Hanson allowed four runs before registering his first out on the mound that came by way of a strikeout. Austin seemingly had the jump on the Owatonna bull pen’s breaking ball, patiently sitting on it before ripping hit after hit.
The Packers would register eight runs on seven hits while also batting through the lineup. The Huskies bullpen allowed 12 hits and walked six. In fact, through three innings, Austin recorded as many hits as Owatonna has their last two games.
As for Owatonna, they managed to register just one hit through three innings – a hard chopper by Kiel that as just out of the reach of the shortstop. When asked, Cummings noted that they don’t really have a dial on what the problems may be.
“We hit the ball so well in practice,” he added. “I think guys are thinking a little bit and it’s extremely challenging when that happens; it’s a funk.”
The Huskies managed to show a little life in the bottom of the fourth, as Hanson delivered an RBI single that was immediately followed by Nolan Malo’s sacrifice fly to deep centerfield. However, those would be the final hits for Owatonna.
Owatonna is back in action Friday against Rochester John Marshall in Rochester.