ST. CHARLES, Mo. – Green Bay softball split their first two games at the Lindenwood Invite Saturday afternoon. The Phoenix grabbed a 4-2 win over Lindenwood before falling to Western Illinois 4-2 in the second game.
GAME 1 | Green Bay 4, Lindenwood 2
The Phoenix got on the board immediately in the first inning with an RBI single from junior Jadin Justman, scoring graduate student Tiffany Giese from third base.
After the Lions rallied to tie the ballgame at one in the third inning, the Phoenix rallied to retake the lead in the fourth. Green Bay pushed across a run on sophomore Lauren Porter's one-out RBI double, which brought the score to 2-1.
Green Bay held Lindenwood (Mo.) without a run before building their lead to 4-1 the following inning. Justman's run-scoring single highlighted a two-run output in the frame for the Phoenix. Lindenwood (Mo.) put one more run on the scoreboard, but Green Bay held on for the 4-2 victory.
Senior Brittany Baneck (4-2) tallied another win for Green Bay. The right-hander went five innings, giving up one run on six hits, allowing three walks, and striking out four. Freshman Paeton Kringel also pitched well, going two innings while surrendering just one run on one hit.
At the plate, the Phoenix was led by Justman, who went 2-for-4 in the game with two RBI. Porter put together a noteworthy performance, going 1-for-2 with a double, a walk, and an RBI. Giese also chipped in for GB, putting together two hits in four trips to the plate.
GAME NOTES
» Both Giese and Justman stole two bases in Saturday's game.
» The Phoenix swiped five bases as a team.
» Green Bay went 4-for-13 (.308) with runners in scoring position.
» Lindenwood (MO) was led offensively by freshman Tori, who went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI.
» Freshman Molly led the Lions pitching staff, throwing two shutout innings.
GAME 2 | Western Illinois 4, Green Bay 2
Trailing 1-0, the Phoenix responded with runs in the second and third innings to grab a 2-1 lead. Senior Randi McKay scored the first Phoenix run on a fielding error, and Justman scored on an RBI single from Porter.
The Leathernecks responded immediately, putting up three runs in the third inning to grab a 4-2 lead. Neither team would score in the final four innings, and Western Illinois held on for the win.
Freshman Kelly Greene (0-1) started and took the loss in the circle. Baneck was a bright spot out of the bullpen, going 3.2 shutout innings while allowing five hits, walking none, and striking out five.
In the batter's box, Porter paced the Phoenix, going 1-for-3 on the day with an RBI.
GAME NOTES
» McKay stole two bases in the game.
» WIU outhit Green Bay at a 13-4 clip.
» Other than Porter, Justman, and McKay also tallied hits for GB.
» Western Illinois was led offensively by junior Alvarez, who went 2-for-3 with a triple and two RBI.
» Junior Price led the Leathernecks pitching staff, throwing seven innings of two-run ball.
COMING UP
GB will close out the Lindenwood Invite with a doubleheader tomorrow morning against North Dakota. Game one is scheduled for 9 a.m., while game two will start around 11:30 a.m.
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