By: Stephen Wagner
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (GreenBayPhoenix.com) – The Green Bay softball (15-22, 7-9 HL) team made the long haul to Youngstown, Ohio for a three-game series against league-foe Youngstown State (16-26, 7-9 HL). The series was originally slated for a single game this afternoon, followed by a doubleheader tomorrow. However, inclement weather would force an alteration in the scheduled that resulted in a twinbill today and a single game tomorrow morning.
Green Bay came out swinging this weekend, routing the Penguins in the weekend opener, 8-4. However, the second game would see a shift in momentum, as the Penguins got things rolling early to end the day with a 6-1 victory.
Green Bay 8, Youngstown State 4
The Phoenix wasted no time getting the offense going in its road bout, scoring one run in the first after Katelyn Huemmer singled to center field to bring Hailey Mohrfeld home, who reached base earlier in the inning after a single of her own, giving Green Bay a 1-0 lead.
The Green Bay defense, aided by Heather Sanderson in the circle, would hold the Penguins scoreless in the first inning, allowing the Phoenix offense to increase its lead in the second. Green Bay would take advantage of the opportunity by plating two in the inning off of a two-RBI home run from Mohrfeld.
The Phoenix seemed to be running away with the contest in the top of the third, as Green Bay would score three runs in the inning after back-to-back singles from Abby Brinkmeier and Katelyn Huemmer, followed by a three-run home run from Miranda Spangberg.
The Penguins responded to the six-run deficit in the bottom of the third, plating two runs off of RBI singles from Moffatt and Gibson to bring the score to 6-2 with four innings to play.
The Penguins would again be the next to score in the game, bringing home two runs in the fifth inning after a solo shot from Moffatt and an error in left field that allowed Gibson to touch home.
With the score sitting at 6-4 heading into the top of the sixth, Green Bay looked to add some insurance runs in hopes of securing the contest. The Phoenix would score one run in the sixth inning after Mohrfeld raced home on a throwing error by the catcher and another in the seventh from an Allie Taylor home run. The Phoenix defense held strong in the final inning and allowed no one to reach home, sealing the 8-4 Green Bay victory.
Sanderson picked up her sixth victory of the year in the weekend opener. She spent 4.2 innings in the circle, allowed nine hits, four runs (two earned) and fanned six batters in the outing. Briana Cavin picked up the save in the contest, pitching 2.1 innings, allowing only one hit and picking up a pair of strikeouts.
Mohrfeld was all over the ball in game one, finishing 4-for-5 at the plate with two RBIs and three runs scored for Green Bay.
Youngstown State 6, Green Bay 2
The Penguins shifted momentum their way in the first inning after bringing home one run and holding the Phoenix scoreless.
Youngstown State increased its advantage to three runs in the second inning after a home run from Lacatena home run to center field and an RBI double from Dowd.
The Penguins added two runs in the fifth inning to lead Green Bay 5-0. The Phoenix was able to add one run to its tally in the sixth inning, courtesy of Spangberg's second home run of the day, but was unable to overcome the deficit as Green Bay fell 6-1 in game two of the doubleheader.
Cavin spent two innings in the circle for the Phoenix, allowed six hits, three runs and fanned one batter. Hailey McDermott also saw a fair amount of action in the contest, pitching 3.2 innings, allowing six hits and three runs.
Mohrfeld carried her stellar play at the plate from game one into game two, finishing the contest with three hits in four at-bats.
The Phoenix returns to the field tomorrow morning against the Penguin for the final game of the weekend at 10 a.m.
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