DETROIT (4/17/16) – The University of Detroit Mercy softball team surrendered two late homers to fall to the Green Bay Phoenix, 4-2, in the series finale from Buysse Ballpark on Sunday afternoon.
The Phoenix took an early lead with a run in the top of the first before senior
Christa McGahuey smoked a line shot over the centerfield wall for a two-run blast in the third, giving Detroit a 2-1 lead.
Green Bay was held in check by McGahuey and freshman
Ashley Mauser through the first four innings, but capitalized on a leadoff walk in the fifth with a two-run homer from Acacia Tupa to surge back ahead 3-2.
The Phoenix threatened further with two on in the top of the fifth and sent the runner around third base on a single through the left side, but junior
Cheyenne Willeford unleashed a perfect strike to the plate to gun down the runner and keep the Titans within one.
The Titans looked to answer in the bottom of the fifth, with runners on first and second, but a pick off and strikeout ended the threat.
Green Bay added an insurance run in the sixth with a pinch-hit, solo homerun off the bat of Alyssa Johnson.
The Titans were shut down in order in both the sixth and the seventh innings as the Phoenix escaped Buysse Ballpark with a sweep of Detroit.
Junior
Laura Villagrana led the Titans with two hits in three at bats with a walk from the leadoff spot.
McGahuey went 1-for-2 with a homer and two RBI, with a walk from the cleanup spot. The homer is the fifth of the season for McGahuey and the 24
th of her career. She now sits just two back of the all-time Detroit record with 14 games remaining.
Freshman
Jordan Manno went 1-for-3 with a run scored, while sophomore
Savvy Ferstle picked up a walk to extend her reaching base streak to 12 games.
Mauser was tagged with the loss after allowing two runs in 2.1 innings of relief. Junior
Alexis Robison-Kohrs pitched the final two innings without allowing a base runner and tallied three punch-outs.
Detroit falls to 11-31 overall and 3-9 in the Horizon League with the loss. Meanwhile, Green bay improves to 13-23 and 4-4 in conference action.
The Titans turn around quickly and return to action Monday and Tuesday in a three-game set against Oakland. The Titans and Golden Grizzlies open with a single game on Monday at 2 p.m. and wrap up with a doubleheader on Tuesday at 2 p.m. from Rochester, Mich.
