BURLINGTON, N.C. – Megan Borgaard threw a one-hitter as Elon blanked Appalachian State 2-0 to conclude round-robin play at the 2004 Elon Phoenix Classic softball tournament Saturday afternoon at Burlington City Park. With the win, Elon enters bracket play as the number two seed later in the afternoon.

Borgaard (2-1) struck out six Mountaineers (7-14) in seven innings while only walking two as the Phoenix (17-5-1) emerged victorious for the 12th time in 14 games. Appalachian starter Marie Watson (2-4) worked the contest’s first three and 1/3 innings and was charged with just two hits and one free pass.

In the fourth inning, Dani Concepcion reached base on an error by second baseman Beth McSwain, sending Suzanne Speed home from third for the game’s first run. The Phoenix scored an insurance run in the sixth when Concepcion hit a one-out sacrifice fly to left field to plate Jenny Gustin from third.

Elon edged the Mountaineers 3-1 in the hits category and left five runners on base to four stranded by ASU, which committed the contest’s lone two errors. For the Phoenix, Gustin (2-for-3, run, two doubles) and Christina Melton (1-for-2, SH) recorded hits and Concepcion registered both RBIs without a hit. Amber Handy singled to the pitcher’s circle in the third for the sole base hit for the Mountaineers.

Meanwhile, Seton Hall (12-4) used a sixth-inning triple play and a solid pitching performance by Casey McDevitt (1-3) to stave off Stony Brook 1-0 Saturday afternoon and claim the number one seed. Each team rapped four hits and the Seawolves (3-10) made the lone error of the game.

Second-seeded Elon now faces third-seeded Stony Brook while top-seeded Seton Hall battles fourth-seeded Appalachian State in the tournament semi-finals Saturday afternoon. Both the championship game and the consolation contest will take place at noon Sunday.

– ELON –

Elon/Appalachian State Box Score