ELON, N.C.– In the final regular-season Southern Conference series, the Elon Phoenix and Lady Mocs of Chattanooga split in a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at East Field. Elon took game one 4-3 before falling in the second game 5-0. Elon moved to 29-29 on the season and 9-11 in the conference while UTC is now 42-19, 14-4.
Chattanooga started the scoring in the top of the first inning when Jeannie Cochran reached on a double to left centerfield before Tara Tembey singled to right field to send Cochran home and go ahead 1-0.
In the bottom of the inning, Elon responded with four runs. Dani Concepcion singled to centerfield before Paige Goss reached on a fielder’s choice and Concepcion was able to stay on base due to an error by the second baseman. Megan Borgaard then drove a ball over the left field fence to score Concepcion and Goss and put Elon up 3-1. On the first pitch in the next at bat, Meredith Miley knocked her 11th home run of the season to give Elon the 4-1 advantage.
The Lady Mocs put a run on the board in the top of the third inning when Melissa Ramirez knocked a solo home run to cut the lead to two at 4-2. In the top of the fourth, Brittney Whittier homered out of left field to lead off the inning and put the score at 4-3.
Whittier walked to lead off the sixth inning and advanced to second on a ground out from Marissa Monroe, placing the tying run in scoring position. But Elon pitcher Meredith Gay was able to retire the next two batters to end the Chattanooga threat.
Whitney Meeks (9-10) picked up the win for the Phoenix after tossing four innings and giving up three runs on seven hits while striking out two. Gay recorded a save after throwing three innings and giving up no runs on one hit and striking out two batters. Lacey Swarthout (26-10) suffered the loss for the Lady Mocs after throwing one and one-third innings and giving up four runs (three earned) on five hits. Ashley Frizzell threw four and two-third innings in relief, giving up no runs on three hits while striking out five batters.
Concepcion went two-for-three from the plate with one run while Borgaard recorded three RBI for Elon. Tembey was two-for-four for the Lady Mocs with one RBI.
In game two, Chattanooga put the decisive run on the board in the top of the third inning. Singles by Tembey and Ramirez and a walk by Ashleigh Bull loaded the bases before Tembey scored on a wild pitch to go up 1-0.
In the top of the fifth inning, the Lady Mocs added more runs when Leslie Barron doubled down the left field line with two runners on to put UTC ahead 3-0. Whittier then homered out of right centerfield to put two more runs on the board and give the Lady Mocs the 5-0 advantage.
Carol Lilley (5-2) suffered the loss for Elon after hurling four innings and giving up three runs on five hits while striking out two. Gay threw three innings in relief and gave up two runs on six hits while fanning three batters. Swarthout (27-10) picked up the win after throwing a complete game and giving up no runs on six hits.
Tembey and Monroe were each three-for-four from the plate for UTC. Barron went two-for-four with two RBI while Whittier also picked up two RBI. Concepcion led Elon from the plate going two-for-three.
The Lady Mocs and the Phoenix return to action on Sunday, May 8 in the final regular season game at 1 p.m. at East Field.
— ELON — Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
