GREEN BAY, Wis. – It was a drama-filled afternoon at King Park, where the Green Bay softball team walked off the Youngstown State Penguins twice on Friday afternoon. The Phoenix (14-27, 6-9 HL) won game one on a Randi McKay RBI single and took game two with a two-RBI single from Paige Hanson.
GAME 1 | Green Bay 9, Youngstown State 8 (F/8)
GB got on the board from the get-go on a Samantha Saloun sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Tiffany Giese in the first. YSU responded with a crooked number in the second, tallying four runs. The frame was capped by a Megan Turner two-run blast to left field, extending the lead to 4-1. In the third, Green Bay answered with two more runs when Saloun lifted a fly ball to deep center. Avrey Schumacher was standing on the warning track when the ball popped in and out of her glove and over the fence for a two-run homer. The unusual play pulled GB to within one, 4-3.
A scoring barrage began in the fifth when Hailey Roach hit an RBI single to center, scoring Hailey Niederkohr to make it 5-3 Penguins. In the bottom of the frame, Saloun struck again for a grand slam that sailed way over the left-center field wall, giving the Phoenix a 7-5 lead. However, that lead would quickly evaporate in the top of the sixth when the Penguins scored two to tie it up.
YSU would retake the lead in the seventh when Schumacher ripped an RBI single to center, plating Roach. The Phoenix would not go away, answering the bell in the seventh. With two outs and the tying run in Randi McKay aboard first, Paige Hanson sliced a fly ball down the right field line, scoring McKay to force extra innings. McKay pulled out the clutch card in the eighth, walking off the Penguins with a bloop single to center to score Hailey Heckenliable. Heckenliable started the inning by drawing a walk.
Brittany Baneck (7-10) impressed in the circle for the Phoenix, striking out five while throwing 164 pitches in her team-leading ninth complete game.
GAME NOTES
» Saloun finished game one with a career-high seven RBI. She now sits second in the Horizon League with 26 RBI.
» Green Bay committed four errors to YSU's one.
» GB got three-hit games from both McKay and Justman.
» The Phoenix drew four walks from Youngstown State pitching.
» Green Bay went 6-for-11 (.545) with runners in scoring position.
» The contest marked just the second time GB has scored nine or more runs in a single game this season.
GAME 2 | Green Bay 4, Youngstown State 3
After a scoreless first two innings, Youngstown State struck first on a Jillian Jakse RBI single, scoring Sara Fessler. The scoring carried into the fourth inning when YSU extended their lead to 3-0 on a Conchetta Rinaldi 2-RBI single, bringing in Elyssa Imler and Schumacher.
Devan Ryan (7-10) had pitched well for the Penguins through the first three frames, but Green Bay pieced together a solid fourth inning. Saloun singled to left field to start the stanza before Hanson ensued with a base hit. Two batters later, Dawn Pawlak got in on the action with a single, loading the bases. Viviana Guzman stepped up and delivered with a two-RBI base knock, scoring Saloun and Hanson, cutting the deficit to one at 3-2.
Both teams would be held scoreless for the next couple of innings, but Green Bay would again not be denied. In the seventh, down to their last strike, Hanson poked a hit to left-center, scoring Giese and Justman to win the game. Giese led off the inning with her third hit of the contest, while Justman singled to advance Giese to third.
Paeton Kringel (4-8) dominated in the circle for Green Bay, holding the Penguins to three runs (all earned) while striking out seven and surrendering just two walks.
GAME NOTES
» Giese compiled three base hits in the game for Green Bay.
» Kringel struck out seven Penguins hitters.
» Every Green Bay starter reached base safely in the win.
» The Phoenix out-hit the Penguins at a 10-8 clip.
» Green Bay pitchers limited Youngstown State to just 2-for-10 (.200) with runners in scoring position.
COMING UP
Green Bay will look to complete the sweep of the Penguins tomorrow at noon. Following, the Phoenix will host St. Thomas for a doubleheader on Tuesday, April 25.
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