FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The Green Bay softball team stayed hot on Saturday, adding three wins to their season total with a three-game sweep over Purdue Fort Wayne. Game one of the series started yesterday, but was delayed due to rain and then finished this morning before the originally scheduled doubleheader.

The Phoenix has now won six straight Horizon League games to put themselves within prime position to grab a top-six spot and earn their way to the Horizon League Championship.

GAME 1 | Green Bay 4, Purdue Fort Wayne 2
Senior Brittany Baneck dominated in game one, fanning eight Purdue Fort Wayne hitters over seven innings of work to help lead the Green Bay Phoenix past the Mastodons 4-2.

The Phoenix got on the scoreboard first in the third inning. Green Bay got an RBI single from Dawn Pawlak that brought home Kaylin Fahy.

After the Mastodons rallied in the bottom of the third to tie the ballgame at one, the Phoenix came back to retake the lead in the fourth inning. GB loaded the bases and got an RBI walk from Jadin Justman and a sac fly from Sam Saloun to take a 3-1 lead. Baneck shut down the hosts in the bottom of the fourth before the game was halted due to the rain.

Play resumed Saturday morning in the top of the fifth inning. Green Bay kept Purdue Fort Wayne scoreless in the frame before building their lead to 4-1 in the sixth thanks to a throwing error from the Mastodons' catcher that allowed Justman to come home from third. PFW but some pressure on the Phoenix in the seventh, but only scored one run in the frame.

In the batter's box, the Phoenix was paced by Justman, who finished the game 0-for-1 but walked three times, one of those bringing home a run. Saloun compiled a noteworthy game at the plate as well, going 1-for-2 with a walk and an RBI.

GAME NOTES
» Every Green Bay starter reached base safely in the win.
» Tiffany Giese stole two bases in the win.
» The Phoenix stole six bases as a team.
» Green Bay pitchers limited Purdue Fort Wayne to just 1-for-6 (.167) with runners in scoring position.
» The Phoenix drew seven walks from Purdue Fort Wayne pitching.
» Giese, Saloun, Pawlak and Kendal Herschbach accounted for the four Phoenix hits in game one.
» Purdue Fort Wayne was led offensively by Taryn Jenkins, who went 2-for-4 with a double, a triple and two RBI.
» Alanah Jones led the Mastodons pitching staff, throwing seven innings of four-run ball.

GAME 2 | Green Bay 5, Purdue Fort Wayne 4
The Phoenix got on the board immediately in game two, scoring two runs on RBIs from Saloun and Paige Hanson.

The Mastodons responded and tied the game at two in the bottom of the first with a two-RBI single from Bailey Manos. The Green & White reclaimed their advantage in the top of the second thanks to a throwing error that allowed Viviana Guzman to cross home plate to make it 3-2.

Purdue Fort Wayne once again responded and tied the ballgame at three in the second before Green Bay grabbed a 4-3 lead in the third thanks to a solo shot off the bat of Hanson.

PFW tied up the game one more time in the fifth inning thanks to another Manos RBI. However, that tie was broken the final time in the top of the sixth inning when a Randi McKay RBI single scored Fahy.

The hosts brought the tying run to third in the seventh inning with one out, and it looked like a Brooke Wintlend fly ball to center field would tie the game. However, the runner left third base early and the run didn't score, giving Green Bay the 5-4 win.
Kringel went seven innings, giving up four runs, two earned, on nine hits, allowing three walks and striking out five.

In the batter's box, the Phoenix was led by Hanson, who went 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBI. McKay put together a standout game at the plate as well, going 1-for-3 with a walk and an RBI. Giese was also strong, putting together two hits in four trips to the plate.

GAME NOTES
» There was a little bit more offense in game two, with the Mastodons slightly outhitting the Phoenix 9-8.
» Six different Phoenix registered a hit.
» Purdue Fort Wayne was led offensively by Manos, who went 3-for-3 with three RBI.
» Brinkerhoff led the Mastodons pitching staff, throwing seven innings of five-run ball.

GAME 3 | Green Bay 5, Purdue Fort Wayne 2
The Phoenix were trailing 2-0 in the second inning when they first put runs on the board. Heckenlaible's run-scoring single highlighted a two-run inning for GB.

The score stayed at 2-2 until the seventh inning, when the Phoenix offense broke out for three runs. All three runs came with two outs, as Giese singled home Hailey Heckenlaible before McKay hit a two-run homer to make the score 5-2.
Kelly Greene

Kelly Greene started in the circle in game three, and blanked the PFW offense once again in the bottom of the seventh to secure the series sweep. Greene pitched all seven innings, giving up two runs, both of them earned, on eight hits, allowing two walks and striking out two.

GAME NOTES
» Green Bay went 3-for-7 (.429) with runners in scoring position.
» Green Bay pitchers limited Purdue Fort Wayne to just 1-for-5 (.200) with runners in scoring position.
» McKay led the Phoenix at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI.
» Purdue Fort Wayne was led offensively by Jenkins, who went 2-for-4 with a triple.
» Alyson Quinlan led the Mastodons pitching staff, throwing seven innings of five-run ball.

HORIZON LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP
Green Bay is one of three teams eligible to host the 2023 Horizon League Championship from May 10-13. The other two teams in the running are Cleveland State and Youngstown State. Whoever finishes highest in the standings out of those three will serve as the tournament's host. Cleveland State currently sits half a game above GB.

HORIZON LEAGUE STANDINGS

UP NEXT
Green Bay will look to secure their spot in the Horizon League Championship next weekend when they host Detroit Mercy for three games. The series will start with a single game on Friday at 3 p.m. CST before a Saturday doubleheader at 12 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. CST.

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