CONWAY, S.C. –The Elon softball team split a non-conference doubleheader with Coastal Carolina on Tuesday afternoon. The Phoenix (18-6) took the first game 13-1 before falling 2-0 to the Chanticleers (11-11) in the second game.
Game One – Elon 13, Coastal Carolina 1
A five-run fourth inning and a seven-run seventh helped Elon to a 13-1 win in the first game of the doubleheader.
Tomeka Watson started the bottom of the fourth with a bunt single that was followed by an infield single off the bat of Emerald Graham. Following a pair of stolen bases, Kaitlyn Piazzolla belted a three-run home run over the left field wall that lifted Elon to a 3-1 lead. With runners at second and third, Hannah Shelton singled up the middle to score Erin O’Shea and give Elon a 4-1 edge. Jackie Gonzalez was the second Phoenix batter to be hit by a pitch in the inning, loading the bases for Watson, who drove in Elon’s fifth run of the game when she drew a walk.
O’Shea opened the top of the sixth with a double to left field and later scored on a passed ball.
Elon extended its lead to 13-1 in the top of the seventh. After loading the bases on a pair of walks and an error, Kari Pervell reached on a fielder’s choice. A throwing error during the fielder’s choice allowed Piazzolla and Graham to cross home plate, making it an 8-1 game. Elon added a run when Ashlee Crewe singled up the middle that scored Danielle Lafferty. A walk and wild pitch scored two more Phoenix runs, making it an 11-1 game. A single by Watson scored the 12th Elon run, as Crewe crossed the plate. Graham picked up a RBI on a groundout that scored Shelton and gave Elon its final run of the game
Coastal Carolina scored its only run in the top of the third inning on a RBI-single by Stacy Snellings that scored Ashley Pisone.
O’Shea picked up the win to improve to 8-2 on the season. She allowed just one run on six hits in five innings of work. She also struck out four batters. DelPizzo gave up just one hit in two innings in relief.
Katelin Edwards suffered the loss to fall to 5-6 on the year. She gave up six runs on nine hits in five innings in the circle. Michelle Evans gave up six runs, five of them earned, on one hit and three walks in two innings of work.
Game Two – Coastal Carolina 2, Elon 0
Elon registered just four hits as the Chanticleers took the second game 2-0.
With one away in the bottom of the first, Snellings doubled down the left field line and scored one batter later when Jazmin Daigle singled to right field. A single by Evans put runners at first and second, but Elon hurler Lauren Taylor settled in and retired the final two batters to end any threat of another CCU run.
The Chanticleers put two on in the top of the second on a walk and a single. After the runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt, a Phoenix error allowed Cass Stuart to score to make it a 2-0 game. CCU left two runners on after Taylor ended the inning with a foul out and a strikeout.
Elon was poised to strike in the top of the fifth inning after Caitlin McGowan drew a walk. With a runner on, Crewe doubled to left field. The pair was left stranded as the final two Elon batters were retired.
With one away in the top of the seventh, McGowan reached on a CCU error. O’Shea followed with a single to center field. Neither of the base runners was able to score as CCU pitcher Ashley Frederick struck out the final Elon batter.
Taylor suffered just her second loss of the season and is now 8-2. She allowed two runs, one of which was earned, on four hits in six innings of work. She also struck out six batters and walked two.
Frederick allowed just four hits and struck out nine batters to improve to 9-7 on the year.
The Phoenix returns to Southern Conference action when it welcomes the College of Charleston Cougars to East Field on Saturday afternoon for a doubleheader that is slated to begin at 1 p.m.
