By: Jill Wunrow
GreenBayPhoenix.com
VALPARAISO, Ind. (GreenBayPhoenix.com) - After coming from behind to upset No.
3 seeded UIC in its Horizon League Tournament opener, the Green Bay (23-28)
softball team fell 2-0 against No. 2 seed Loyola (25-21) in its second game of
the tournament before being eliminated with an 8-4 loss against No. 4 seed Youngstown State (13-10).
(6) GREEN BAY 4, (4) YOUNGSTOWN STATE 8 - Green Bay took an early lead against the
Penguins with one out in the second inning when Jessica Hrncar (Bristol, Wis.)
hit an RBI single to second base, scoring Shannon Butts (Greenfield, Wis.) who
led off with a single. Ashleigh Racer (Waterford, Wis.) reached base on a fielder's
choice, scoring Alli Rivera (Geneseo, Ill.) for the 2-0 advantage.
With two outs in the bottom of the
second, Youngstown State hit a two-run RBI double to left-center field to knot
the game 2-2. The Penguins took the 3-2 lead after scoring on a passed ball
before doubling its lead on an RBI single to left field.
The Phoenix responded in the top of the
third when Danielle Peerenboom (Appleton, Wis.) led off with a single to
shortstop followed by a walk by Paige Newtols (Green Bay, Wis.). Miranda Reinke
(Milwaukee, Wis.) scored both Peerenboom and Newtols with an RBI double to
right-center field for the 4-4 tie. Green Bay closed the inning with two runs
on two hits while stranding one runner on base.
Youngstown State regained the lead (5-4)
in the bottom of the third with an RBI single to left-center field before boosting
its lead to 6-4 in the bottom of the fourth.
The Penguins added two more runs in the bottom
of the sixth with a sacrifice bunt and RBI single.
Green Bay outhit Youngstown State 9-6
with Newtols going 2-for-2 from behind the plate while Hrncar was 2-for-3 with
one RBI. Reinke went 1-for-3 with two RBIs while Racer also added an RBI for
the Phoenix.
Second Team All-League selection Allison
Goecks (Beloit, Wis.) pitched 4.1 innings while Ashley Nannemann (Burlington, Wis.) finished on the
mound for the Phoenix while striking out two batters.
(6) GREEN BAY 0, (2) LOYOLA 2 - With two outs in the bottom of the
second inning, Loyola scored the first run of the game off a throwing error by
the Phoenix.
The Ramblers led off the fifth inning
with a stand-up double to the right field fence. The Loyola runner later
advanced to third before being tagged out at home plate by catcher Shannon
Butts (Greenfield, Wis.) keeping it a 1-0 game.
With one out in the bottom of the
sixth, the Ramblers' Lauren Zaworski hit a solo homerun to center field for the
2-0 insurance.
Shannon Butts led off the seventh
inning with a walk before Alli Rivera (Geneseo, Ill.) popped up to third base
for the first out of the inning. Cassie Scheel (Hartland, Wis.) pinch hit and
earned a walk, bringing the go-ahead runner, Hrncar, to
the plate. Hrncar struck out before Ashleigh Racer (Waterford, Wis.) popped up
to close the game.
Horizon League Pitcher of the Year,
Brittany Gardner struck out eight Green Bay batters while recording the sixth
no-hitter in the history of the Horizon League Tournament.
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