By Patrick Stumpf
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (GreenBayPhoenix.com) – The Green Bay softball team kicked-off the Tennessee Invitational on Friday afternoon, opening round-robin tournament play against the preseason favorite to win the BIG EAST conference, St. John's (N.Y.) and No. 16 Tennessee.
The Phoenix dropped the first game, 10-0, to St. John's (7-6) and 10-1 in the second matchup against Tennessee (13-5). Head coach Beth Spoehr's team will return to the diamond tomorrow morning at 9:00 a.m. to play UAB (5-14).
The Blazers also fell twice on Saturday, including 3-2 to the Red Storm and 10-0 to the Volunteers.
St. John's (N.Y.) 10, Green Bay 0 (Five Innings)
Green Bay left fielder Abby Brinkmeier (Eagan, Minn.) recorded the game's first hit with a two-out single in the bottom half of the first, but St. John's (7-6) took control from there.
After Red Storm third baseman Christina Melendez led off the second with a solo home run to left center, the visitors brought five more runs around before the inning ended, highlighted by a grand-slam off the bat of sophomore Krystal Puga that made it 6-0.
St. John's would add four more runs in the third inning on a passed ball, RBI double and a fielding error to make it 10-0 after three.
In the fifth, Phoenix freshman Sara Simonar (Luxemburg, Wis.) made her debut in the circle by pitching a scoreless frame while matching her classmate, starting pitcher Bailey Smaney (Green Bay, Wis.), with a pair of strikeouts.
Green Bay had its best chance to score in the bottom half of the inning when its first two batters reached base via a fielding error and a hit by pitch. Red Storm junior Grace Kramer got out of it; however, striking out a pair followed by a pop-up to shortstop to end it.
No. 16 Tennessee 10, Green Bay 1 (Five Innings)
After a scoreless first inning, Green Bay struck first against the Volunteers in the night cap. Katelyn Huemmer led off the top of the second inning with a base-hit to center field, advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt by third baseman Jenna Smarzinski.
Two batters later, Huemmer came around to score after a ball off the bat of Alyssa Johnson was mishandled by Tennessee third baseman Scarlet McSwain, giving the Phoenix its first lead of the tournament, 1-0.
The No. 16-ranked Volunteers responded with 10 unanswered runs over the final four innings; however, including a six-spot in the bottom half of the second. Leading 7-1 in the home half of the fifth, Tennessee catcher Lexi Overstreet hit a walk-off three-run, home run over the right-center field fence to end the game.
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