GREEN BAY, Wis. - The
Green Bay (26-18, 11-11) softball team clinched a spot in next weekend's Horizon
League Championship with 6-5 and 5-2 wins over Youngstown State (14-36, 6-17)
in Sunday's double-header.
With Youngstown State up 2-0 in the bottom of the second
inning, Sara Junion (Sevastopol, Wis.) hit a line drive to the left field fence
scoring Ashleigh Racer (Waterford, Wis.) and Jenna Nitti (Green Bay, Wis.) to
tie it up 2-2.
The Penguins regained the lead with a two-run homer over the
right field fence to make it 4-2 before Green Bay cut YSU's lead to one off an
RBI single with one out in the bottom of the third. With two outs and the bases
loaded, Junion hit an RBI single to score Alli Rivera (Geneseo, Ill.) tying the
game back up 4-4. Still in the third, Green Bay took the 5-4 lead off a time
delay call on Youngstown State's pitcher.
In the top of the fifth Youngstown State scored one run on
two hits knotting the game at 5-5 until the bottom of the seventh.
With two outs in the bottom of the seventh, Kendra Woepse
(Manitowoc, Wis.) on second and Nitti on first, Youngstown State intentionally walked
Junion to load the bases. On a two-two count Melani Niederer (New Munster,
Wis.) had a beautiful hit to right center field scoring the 6-5 game-winning run.
Katie Cooney (East Moline, Ill.) improved to 11-9 after pitching
her fourth complete game in five days allowing five runs on 10 hits, striking
out seven batters.
In game two, Youngstown State jumped out to a 1-0 lead off
an RBI double in the top of the third inning with two outs.
Green Bay answered in the bottom of the inning when Niederer
hit an RBI double to center field scoring Nitti to tie the game 1-1. Danielle Peerenboom (Appleton, Wis.) followed with an RBI single to center field scoring
Niderer and Junion to give the Phoenix the 3-1 lead.
The Phoenix added to its lead with one out in the bottom of
the sixth when Niederer hit an RBI single to left field scoring Amanda Pozolinski (Appleton, Wis.) to make it 4-1. Peerenboom followed up with an RBI
single to center field scoring Jessica Hrncar (Bristol, Wis.) giving Green Bay
the 5-1 advantage.
Youngstown State added an RBI single in the bottom of the
seventh but that's as close as it would get as Green Bay finishes its regular
season with a five-game winning streak heading into the conference tournament.
At the plate, Cooney went 5-8 in the double-header while breaking
the individual season record for hits (54). Senior Andrea Pigeon (Sheboygan,
Wis.) got the win in game two improving to 3-1 on the season.
The official pairings for the Horizon League Championship
will be announced on Monday. Cleveland State will host the six team double-elimination
tournament beginning Thursday, May 13.
---www.GreenBayPhoenix.com---
