By MICHAEL ADAMS
Sports Editor

AUSTIN — For the first time in the 11 year history of the Austin Area All-Star Softball Game, defense stole the spotlight.
La Grange pitcher Katelin Wolff may not have got the win on the mound for the North All-Stars, but the hurler pitched five scoreless innings and gave up two hits on her way to capturing the North MVP award.
Wolff and the North All-Stars defeated the South 5-1 Wednesday at Lady Chaparral Field in Westalke.
For the South team, Hays’ Amanda Ruiz took home the MVP award after recording a double play to end the seventh inning and made a diving catch in right field to rob Taylor Thom (Vista Ridge) of a double.
In the bottom of the eighth inning Ruiz singled to right field in her only at bat of the game.
The South’s only run came in the first inning when Mandy Ogle (New Braunfels Canyon) drove in Cassie Tysarczyk (Smithson Valley) on a double off pitcher Diedre Outon (Pflugerville).
Outon controlled the next three innings on the mound as her team build a 3-1 lead through her four innings on the mound.
Pflugerville’s Tori Gomez drove in two runs in the third inning after Vista Ridge’s Rachel Burton drilled a one-out double to the wall and then scored on a sacrifice fly.
In the fifth inning, Burnet’s Kerstyn Towslee scored on a wild pitch to give the North a three-run lead.
Wolff, along with help by the defense of Jordan Masek (Giddings), went through the side the next two innings before Elgin’s Megan Moore drove off Towslee on a double of Bastrop’s Jordan Mundine to put the North ahead 5-1, which is where the score would stay.
Moore was later thrown out from centerfield trying to score on a tag-up from third.
The South threatened in the bottom of the eighth and loaded the bases with two outs, but Wolff kept her composure and got Westlake’s MacKenzie White to fly out to left field.
Wolff closed out the side in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the North the win for the third straight year.
The Austin Area All-Star Softball Game invites the area’s top senior softball players nominated by their high school coaches.