URBANA, Ill. (GreenBayPhoenix.com) – The Green Bay softball team came up short in a pair of close games on Wednesday at Illinois, falling 4-1 to open the doubleheader before being bested 6-4 against the tough Big Ten team.

ILLINOIS 4, GREEN BAY 1
Illinois scored one run in the opening frame after a double from Stephanie Abello brought Kiana Sherlund home. The Illini added another run in the second inning before bringing an additional two runs home in the fourth to lead the Phoenix 4-0.
 
Olivia Magaldi reached base after being struck by a pitch in the fifth frame and later touched home after a single from Aubrey Drohner up the middle, cutting the deficit to three runs.
 
Green Bay threatened in the final inning, bringing the game-tying run to the plate, but was unable to turn base-runners into runs and fell 4-1 in the opening game of the doubleheader.
 
WP: Taylor Edwards (9-7)
LP: Alexis Kinnaird (0-6)
 
ILLINOIS 6, GREEN BAY 4
Aubrey Drohner granted Green Bay its first advantage of the day in the opening frame of game two, slugging a home run to right field to give the Phoenix a 1-0 lead.
 
The Phoenix offense kept things rolling in the second inning and increased its advantage to three runs after back-to-back RBI singles from Olivia Magaldi and Chyanne Onstad to score Emily Madeiros and Alexis Otto.
 
Illinois matched Green Bay's second-inning production with a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame off three hits and one error by the Phoenix defense.
 
The Illini pulled even in the third but Green Bay regained the lead in the fifth inning after Morgan Bihun doubled to score Bailey Schultz, giving the Phoenix a 4-3 edge heading to the bottom of the fifth.
 
Illinois plated two runs in the bottom of the fifth and another in the sixth before holding the Phoenix scoreless in its final at-bats, securing a 6-4 victory in game two of the doubleheader.
 
WP: Emily Oestreich (13-7)
LP: Kayla Schwebke (7-10)
 
The Phoenix returns to the diamond this weekend at Northern Kentucky after it was determined a site change was needed following the recent snowstorm in Green Bay. The first of three games is slated for Friday at 3 p.m. (CT).
 
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