Youngstown, Ohio – The Youngstown State softball team suffered a 2-0 setback to Green Bay on Thursday afternoon in Game 4 of 2026 Horizon League Softball Championship.
With the loss the Penguins fall to 31-19 overall and will play in an elimination game, Friday, May 8, at 12 p.m. Green Bay improves to 16-29 and advances to Game 8 on Friday at 2:30 p.m.
Freshman pitcher Kennedy Kimball turned a quality start, allowing just five hits and striking out five.
Junior Tai Turner and sophomore Ayla Ray each had two hits for the Penguins, who left eight runners on base.
Green Bay's Sidney Lemotte broke the scoreless tie with a one-out two run home run in the top of the seventh, and Phoenix pitcher Ava Schill retired the Penguins in order in the bottom of the seventh to seal the victory.
The Penguins left two runners on base in the first and second innings and one on in the third through six innings. In the first, Lydia Wilkerson and Turner each singled, and Green Bay shortstop Sara Ebner's diving stop of Kennedy Dean's hard smash up the middle, which would have plated a run, ended the inning with a force at second.
Youngstown State had runners at the corners in the bottom of the second after singles by Ayla Ray and Leila Staszak, but the Penguins could not convert.
Bella Meyer led off the fifth inning with a double to left center, but was stranded at third base.
