CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (GreenBayPhoenix.com) – The Green Bay softball team opened its 2016 season this afternoon, playing back-to-back games in the UNI-Dome Classic against South Dakota State and Western Illinois. The Phoenix (1-0) opened the year with a victory over the Jackrabbits (0-1), 10-7, before topping the Leathernecks (0-1), 6-4, to earn its first 2-0 start since the 2000 season.
Green Bay 10, South Dakota State 7
Green Bay saw itself facing a 4-0 deficit to open the 2016 season, as the Jackrabbit scored three runs in the first inning and another in the top of the second to take a strong lead over the Phoenix. Green Bay, however, did not trail for long, scoring four runs in the bottom of the second to knot things at four apiece. Abby Brinkmeier ripped one into right center for a three-RBI triple that brought Alanna Beyer, Allie Hislope and Jenna Smarzinski around to score.
Green Bay would go on to add three runs in the fourth and fifth innings each to build up a 10-5 lead over the Jackrabbits. South Dakota State attempted to make things interesting in the final inning, adding two runs to its tally from a two-run home run courtesy Jordyn Sturgeon.
Freshman Bailey Smaney pitched all seven innings for the Phoenix, allowing 11 hits, seven runs and collecting the first three strikeouts of her Green Bay career.
Senior Kelli Hutchinson finished 3-for-4 at the plate with three RBIs and the first Phoenix home run of the season. Fellow senior Katelyn Huemmer went 2-for-4 in the season opener.
Green Bay 6, Western Illinois 4
Green Bay was able to convert baserunners into runs first in its second game of the day, scoring a pair in the third inning of play when Brinkmeier hit a sacrifice-fly to left field to bring in Acacia Tupa for the first run of the game. Hutchinson scored on the next at-bat to make it 2-0 heading into the fourth.
After the Leathernecks responded with one run in the top of the fourth, Allie Taylor led off the bottom of the inning with a home run to left to build Green Bay's advantage back up to two runs.
Western Illinois was the beneficiary of some defensive miscues in the top of the fifth and was able to score two runs off two hits and one Phoenix error to tie the game at 3-3. The Leathernecks would go on to take a 4-3 lead in the top of the sixth, but the advantage would prove to be short-lived, as Green Bay would plate three in the bottom of the inning to take a 6-4 lead before eventually securing its second victory of the day.
Freshman Tessa Mikkelson secured the victory in the circle for the Phoenix, putting in 1.2 innings of work, allowing only a single hit and picking up one strikeout. Smaney spent the first four innings on the mound for the Phoenix in game two and allowed only a single run.
Taylor was a star at the plate for Green Bay in game two, turning in two hits in three at-bats and sending one over the fence for her first home run of the season. The junior also finished with two RBIs in game two. Hutchinson kept things rolling after a strong start in game one, going two-for-three against the Leathernecks.
Green Bay will be back in action at the UNI-Dome Classic tomorrow afternoon, facing Drake at 2:45 p.m. and tournament-host Northern Iowa at 7:15 p.m.
#
For the latest and most up-to-date information on Green Bay Athletics and Green Bay Softball, please visit GreenBayPhoenix.com.
Follow us on Twitter: @GBPhoenix, @GBPhoenixSB and @GBSwags14
Like Green Bay Phoenix Athletics and Green Bay Phoenix Softball on Facebook.
