CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - The Green Bay (3-1) softball team had a great start to their season winning three of four games at the Northern Iowa Dome Invitational.

The Phoenix started the three day invitational slow with a 9-2 loss against Dayton on Saturday. Green Bay had eight hits led by senior Melani Niederer (New Munster, Wis.) who went 2-4 from the plate while freshman Dani Peerenboom (Appleton, Wis.) had two hits on three plate appearances.  Katie Cooney (East Moline, Ill.) took the mound for Green Bay pitching three innings allowing five runs off of five hits.

In Saturday's night cap the Phoenix bounced back with a 5-1 win over South Dakota. Freshman Lauren Beres (New Berlin, Wis.) was impressive in her debut in a Green Bay uniform as she pitched a complete game allowing just one run off of four hits. Sara Junion (Egg Harbor, Wis.) led the Phoenix with two hits and two RBIs as the Phoenix scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Green Bay kept rolling on Sunday winning back to back games to close out the invitational. The Phoenix shut out North Dakota 5-0 scoring four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Sam Schmeltzer (Merrill, Wis.) got the win for the Phoenix allowing six hits throughout 4.1 innings pitched. Ashleigh Racer (Waterford, Wis.) led the way from the plate going 3-3 with two RBIs.

Host team Northern Iowa was the last of Green Bay's victims as the Phoenix scored two runs in the top of the fifth to come from behind for a 5-4 win. Cooney got the win as she took the mound for five innings, allowing one hit and no runs. Meanwhile Krissy Hanson (Appleton, Wis.) had three of Green Bay's 11 hits off her four plate appearances with two RBIs.    

Green Bay will have time to prepare for the Rebel Spring Games held March 12-19 in Orlando, Fla.

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