By Patrick Stumpf
DETROIT, Mich. (GreenBayPhoenix.com) – Appearing in its first action in 11 days, the Green Bay softball team swept the Detroit Titans in a Saturday twin bill at Buysse Ballpark in Michigan. The Phoenix edged the Titans by a pair of runs in both contests, picking up a 5-3 victory in Game 1 before late heroics lifted them to a 6-4 win in Game 2.
Winners of a season-best three-straight games, Green Bay (12-23, 3-4 HL) will conclude its weekend series against Detroit tomorrow morning at 11 a.m. CT.
Green Bay 5, Detroit 3 (Game 1)
The Phoenix jumped out to a 5-0 lead after a solo home run by freshman Acacia Tupa in the fourth, followed by a four-run fifth that was highlighted by RBI singles from Tupa and Kelli Hutchinson.
The real story was freshman hurler Bailey Smaney; however, who took a one-hit shutout into the sixth before Detroit got on a board after a solo shot by shortstop Jordan Manno. Although the Titans would tack on two more runs in the seventh, Smaney went on to complete her sixth win of 2016 allowing just two earned runs.
Tupa ended the opener 3-of-4 with 2 RBI, while Hailee Frey went 2-of-3 for head coach Beth Spoehr's Phoenix.
Green Bay 6, Detroit 4 (Game 2)
For the second time in as many games, Green Bay jumped out to a sizable early advantage. The Phoenix scored three runs on four hits in the first inning, going once through its batting order.
In the second, shortstop Kelli Hutchinson's fourth home run of the year cleared the left-center field fence to give Green Bay a comfortable 4-0 edge. The Titans did not go quietly; however, as the hosts answered with four unanswered runs to tie the game at 4-4 after four complete.
The score would remain 4-4 until the seventh, when Phoenix first baseman Allie Taylor broke the tie with a solo home run to left. On the very next pitch, freshman Brennan Engel went back-to-back with Taylor to break the game open.
Although Detroit put the tying runs on base in the home half, sophomore Katie Rossmann worked out of the jam to give Green Bay its first three-game winning streak of the season.
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