By: Ryan Hartwig (@RyanHartwig)
GreenBayPhoenix.com
GREEN BAY,
Wis. (GreenBayPhoenix.com) - The
Green Bay softball team (22-26, 11-12 HL) went 1-1 on Saturday afternoon in a
Horizon League doubleheader against Youngstown State (28-19-1, 12-10 HL) at Ben
Garot Field. The Phoenix won the opener 2-0 in its Senior Day contest before giving
up a late lead in game two and ultimately falling 4-2.
With the split, the Phoenix secured the sixth and
final spot in the 2012 Horizon League Tournament. Green Bay received some help
from UIC, which split its two contests with Wright State on Saturday to ensure
that the Raiders cannot catch the Phoenix in the standings.
GAME ONE -
GREEN BAY 2, YOUNGSTOWN STATE 0
The opener was highlighted by an exceptional pitching
performance from Green Bay junior Allison
Goecks (Beloit, Wis.), who hurled a 10-strikeout, complete game shutout.
Goecks allowed just six Penguin hits and walked only one while picking up her
10th victory of the season.
After a slow start offensively by both teams, the
Phoenix broke the scoreless tie in the fourth inning when junior Paige Newtols (Green Bay, Wis.) crossed
the plate following a Youngstown State miscue. Newtols started the inning with
an infield single and advanced to second on a hit to center by Miranda Reinke (Milwaukee, Wis.). Stacey Butts (Greenfield, Wis.) knocked
one back to the pitcher in the following at-bat, but a throwing error allowed
Newtols to advance two bases for the game's first run.
After Goecks struck out the Penguins' side in the
fifth, the Phoenix added another run in the bottom half of the inning when Danielle Peerenboom (Appleton, Wis.)
drove in senior Ashleigh Racer (Waterford,
Wis.) on a single up the middle.
Goecks sealed the 2-0 Phoenix win by stranding two YSU
runners in the sixth and another in the seventh. Peerenboom led the Green Bay
offense, recording two of the team's six hits and driving in the lone earned
run.
SENIOR
DAY/PARENTS DAY: Green Bay's four
seniors - Amanda Omahen (San
Diego, Calif.), Amanda Pozolinski
(Appleton, Wis.), Ashleigh Racer
(Waterford, Wis.) and Alli Rivera
(Geneseo, Ill.) - were each honored prior to the first contest, while all the
parents in attendance were recognized on the field between games.
GAME TWO -
YOUNGSTOWN STATE 4, GREEN BAY 2
The Penguins rallied to score three runs with two outs
in the seventh inning to steal the win from the Phoenix in the late game. Green
Bay pitcher Ashley Nannemann
(Burlington, Wis.) retired the first two batters she faced in the final inning,
but then loaded the bases for YSU senior Haley Thomas, who quickly cleared them
with a double to right center. The Phoenix went down in order in the bottom
half, giving the Penguins the 4-2 win.
With the score knotted at 1-1 in the fourth, Reinke
smashed a home run over the center field wall to give the Phoenix a one-run
advantage. The solo shot was Reinke's third of the season.
Green Bay started the scoring in the bottom of the
first when Racer was driven in by Omahen on a ground out to shortstop. The
Penguins answered in the top of the second when Samantha Snodgrass reached the
plate on a throwing error shortly after her double to right center.
Green Bay and Youngstown State are scheduled to play
the final game of the series, and of the regular season, on Sunday at 11 a.m.
###
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