Phoenix finally plays first home series, sweeps Butler

"It's about time," said freshman outfielder Sara Junion, referring to playing a game at home. Sunday was the first time this spring the UW-Green Bay softball team played a game in front of a home crowd. The Phoenix came away with two victories, winning both games of a doubleheader against Butler. The Phoenix won the first game 3-2 and collected another victory in the second game, 4-2. Game one was scoreless going into the bottom of the sixth inning, but the Phoenix changed that with two runs. Sophomore outfielder Melani Niederer led off with a double to right-center field and was moved to third base on a sacrifice bunt by senior outfielder Dana Brockman. The Phoenix then rolled the dice by attempting the squeeze play. Senior shortstop Jenna Woepse executed the bunt perfectly, with Niederer scoring from third and Woepse beating the throw to first. After sophomore infielder Krissy Hanson reached on a fielder's choice, Junion doubled the lead, sending a double to left-center field, allowing Hanson to score from first base. In the bottom half of the seventh inning, Bulldogs freshman Erin Jackson and sophomore Bridget Paine reached base to start the inning. A sacrifice bunt by freshman Kelli Hahn advanced Jackson and Paine to second and third with one out. Then Bluemel got pinch-hitter Haley Oskins to pop out to record the second out. Needing only one out to end the game, Bluemel was unable to retire senior Amy Hyerczyk. The Bulldogs first baseman hit a single to center field that drove in the tying runs, sending the game into extra innings. The Bulldogs loaded the bases with one out in the ninth inning and a fly ball to right field appeared to be deep enough to score sophomore Melissa Shofroth, but Niederer's throw kept Shofroth at third base. Senior Jenny Jacobs then flied out to left field to end the inning. Senior outfielder Dana Brockman started the Phoenix tenth inning with a single and was moved to second on a Woepse sacrifice bunt. Hanson flied out to center field, setting the stage for the game-winning hit. Junion lined a hit deep down the left field line and well out of the reach of Bulldogs outfielder Lindsay Schluge, allowing Brockman to score easily. "That was a big, fat one right down the middle," Junion said. "I saw the seams on it, it got real big and the coaches told me to hit it hard and that's what I did." Bluemel picked up the win, giving up two runs on eight hits in ten innings. "It feels good," Phoenix Head Coach Jean Rivett said. "It's a big load off everybody's back, I think. I think that's been part of our struggle. We've just been trying so hard to get that win and today it was just nice to do it at home. It's a confidence builder." Game two began the way the first ended. The Phoenix collected three hits and two runs before getting one out in the first. Junior third baseman Mollie Kaebisch drove in the third run of the inning on a sacrifice fly to score Junion. The inning ended with the Phoenix ahead 3-0, a lead which would not be taken away. The fourth run for the Phoenix came on another successful squeeze by Woepse and Niederer. Keeping the Bulldogs in check was junior pitcher Amanda Margelofsky. The Oakfield, Wis., native gave up 12 hits but only two runs to the Bulldogs. Rivett liked what she saw from her pitchers in both games. "We kind of went back to basics," Rivett said. "We just kept them to their three best pitches and mastered those. I was proud of them." Not to be overlooked Sunday was Breast Cancer Awareness Day. The Phoenix and Bulldogs celebrated the fight against breast cancer on Sunday in honor of Phoenix sophomore utility player Andrea Pigeon's mother, who died of the disease six years ago. The teams wore pink warm-up shirts, shoelaces, wristbands and ribbons for the occasion. A souvenir table was also setup selling pink Phoenix softball shirts. "It means a lot to me," Pigeon said. "It's for my mom. It's for all those who suffered from someone having breast cancer or survived it. It's meaningful, because my mom wasn't a survivor and I have a lot of friends that I know that have fought for it too." The Phoenix finishes the regular season with three games at home against Youngstown State this weekend. The teams are scheduled to play a doubleheader on Saturday with the first game starting at 1 p.m. Sunday's game is scheduled for 11 a.m.