By Patrick Stumpf
CLEVELAND, Ohio (GreenBayPhoenix.com) – The Green Bay softball team (21-31, 12-10 HL) concluded its regular season slate on Saturday, sweeping an afternoon doubleheader against Cleveland State (19-30, 12-12 HL) at Viking Field.
The Phoenix received two stellar pitching efforts and timely hitting en route to a 3-1 win in Game 1 followed by a 6-3 victory in Game 2.
As a result, Green Bay has clinched the No. 4 seed in the Horizon League Championships next week in Chicago, where it will play the No. 5 seeded Vikings once again.
Green Bay 3, Cleveland State 1 (Game 1)
Phoenix starter Sara Simonar (7.0 IP, 1 ER) scattered five hits as part of a complete game gem in Game 1, and the Green Bay offense scored the go-ahead runs in the seventh inning to defeat CSU.
With the win, Simonar earned her first career collegiate victory. Senior shortstop Kelli Hutchinson finished the contest 3-for-3 with a run scored for the Phoenix.
Green Bay scored an unearned run in the fourth on a Vikings' error to take a 1-0 edge. After CSU tied the game in the sixth, the Phoenix scored twice in the seventh off Macy Kaisk on two RBI fielder's choice from Katelyn Huemmer and Jenna Smarzinski.
Green Bay 6, Cleveland State 3 (Game 2)
Green Bay got its second quality start of the day from Bailey Smaney (7.0 IP, 3 ER), who worked around 11 CSU hits to earn her team-best 11th win of the season in Game 2.
The 3-4-5 hitters in the Phoenix order combined to go 6-for-12 with all six RBIs, as designated player Brennan Engel ended 2-for-4 with four driven in, including a key three-run home run in the fifth inning that extended Green Bay's lead from 2-1 to 5-1.
Both teams scored once in the first inning, as the Phoenix's Acacia Tupa doubled home Hutchinson while the Vikings' Mel Woodard singled home Katelind Phillips. Following four-straight RBIs from Engel, CSU cut its deficit to 5-3 on a solo home run and a RBI triple in the sixth.
However, Phoenix first baseman Allie Taylor hit a solo home run in the seventh to make it 6-3, before Smaney shut the Vikings down in the final frame to end the game.
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