ELON, N.C. -- For the second straight day the Elon Phoenix used a big inning to defeat the Western Carolina Catamounts in Southern Conference baseball action. On Sunday, Elon sent 11 men to the plate in the bottom of the fifth inning and scored seven runs on its way to a 9-4 victory over the Catamounts.
Western Carolina (19-26, 8-16 SoCon) took the early lead in the top of the fifth when a double and an Elon error put runners on second and third with no outs. Mike McGowan's single to center scored both Jared Greenwood and Denver Edick to stake the Catamounts to a 2-0 lead.
In the bottom of the frame, Elon (23-24, 13-11) did most of its damage. Evan Erickson, who hit a grand slam in yesterday's nine-run seventh, led off with a solo homer to left, cutting the deficit in half. With one out, Paul Bennett, Gary Morris and Evan Tartaglia all singled to load the bases. Grant Rembert's single, which extended his hitting streak to a team-best nine games, scored both Bennett and Morris to give the Phoenix a lead which it would never relinquish. Drew Davis' single scored Tartaglia with the fourth run of the inning. Rembert scored the fifth when Chris Price singled to center. On the play, Davis was tagged out attempting to advance to third. A Tyler Stevens single scored Price with the sixth run of the inning and Stevens rode home on Erickson's second hit of the frame, a double to right center.
The Catamounts trimmed the lead to 7-4 in the seventh, scoring twice. Greenwood led off with his second double of the game and McGowan's single with one out put runners on the corners. Greenwood came home on Clint Ramsey's RBI ground out with Western's third run. The fourth run scored on a Phoenix error as the Elon first baseman misplayed a grounder off the bat of Brandon Zollman.
Elon pushed the margin back to five in its half of the seventh after A walk, wild pitch and a sacrifice bunt put Rembert at third with one away. After intentional walks to Price and Erickson, and a strikeout, Matt Stocco delivered a two-run single down the left field line for the final runs of the game.
Brian Hensen (5-1) (pictured right) picked up the win on Senior Day for Elon. The senior went 8.0 innings and allowed four runs (two earned) on five hits. He did not walk a batter and fanned three, throwing only 89 pitches. Mike Fratoe, another senior, threw the ninth inning and allowed only one hit.
Brian Barnes (3-3) took the loss for the Catamounts. Barnes gave up six runs on seven hits in only 4.2 innings of work. He walked four and tied a career-high with five K's. Three Western Carolina relievers combined to throw the final 3.1 innings and give up six hits and three runs.
Offensively for Elon, Erickson continued his hot streak, going 2-for-3 with a run and two driven in. Rembert (2-for-3, two runs, two RBI), Stocco (2-for-4, two RBI) and Paul Bennett (2-for-4, run) all also logged multi-hit days in a game that saw every Elon offensive starter get a hit.
Western Carolina's offense was led by Greenwood who went 2-for-4 with two doubles and two runs scored. McGowan finished the afternoon 3-for-4 with a run and two RBI in the loss.
Elon outhit Western Carolina 13-6 and made two errors to one by the Catamounts.
The Phoenix will play its final home night game of the year on Tuesday when Campbell visits Burlington Athletic Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. Western Carolina is off until May 11 when they host UNC Asheville at 2:00 p.m.
-- ELON -- Game Box Score
