ELON, N.C. – The Elon University softball team opened its 2011 campaign in dramatic fashion Saturday with two walk-off wins to defeat both Youngstown State and Kent State, 4-3, at East Field in games three and four of the Phoenix Leadoff Classic. The Phoenix is now 2-0 on the season, while the Penguins of YSU are 0-2 and the Golden Flashes of KSU sit at 1-1.

Game 1

After two innings of great pitching on both sides, the Penguins got on the board first in the third inning when Kristina Rendle reached after being hit by a pitch. YSU then strung together a two-out rally with back-to-back singles by Vicky Rumph and Kim Klonowski to score Rendle on a close play at the plate. But Elon hurler #Erin O’Shea# managed to limit the Penguins to only the one run after striking out Kristen Philen to end the inning and leave three on base.

In the fourth inning, the Phoenix got its offense rolling for the first time of the season. After senior Caitlin McGowan singled up the middle, senior Emerald Graham belted a two-run home run deep over the fence in left center to bring home freshman Lauren Snead, who came in to pinch run for McGowan. The two-run shot gave Elon a 2-1 lead heading into the fifth inning.

The bottom of the fifth began with senior Hannah Shelton singling up the middle and then advancing to second on a wild pitch. After Shelton eventually reached third, McGowan hit a double down the right field line to score her senior teammate and give Elon a 3-1 lead.

Youngstown State fought back in the sixth when it loaded the bases with just one out. Rendle singled through the right side bringing home Philen to close the gap to one run. Jordan Ingalls then tied the game off a sacrifice fly to left. But once again, with the bases loaded, the Phoenix were able to escape any further damage and went into the sixth the score tied, 3-3.

Elon set itself up perfectly after a strong defensive performance in the top of the seventh by sending all three Penguin batters back to the bench. With Elon needing just one run to take the game in the bottom of the seventh, the Phoenix put the winning run on base after Shelton singled to left field and then moved to second off a sacrifice by sophomore Tomeka Watson. Shelton then stole third and put the Phoenix in scoring position. Both senior Jackie Gonzalez and McGowan were walked giving Graham a chance to win the game with the bases loaded and only one out. Graham managed to get the ball in the air to right field for the sacrifice fly to score Shelton for her third RBI of the game, giving Elon its first victory of the season, 4-3

O’Shea escaped damage all afternoon by leaving 10 runners on base and stranding the Penguins with bases loaded twice. O’Shea went the distance for Elon in game one, yielding just three runs on seven hits, while fanning five Penguins.

Game 2

The second game of the day did not start off well for the Phoenix after the Golden Flashes broke through in the first off a three-run homer to left by Mary Holt giving Kent State the early 3-0 lead.

McGowan doubled to lead off the fourth, her second of the game, and junior Kaitlyn Piazzola followed it up with an infield single to put runners on the corners for the Phoenix. However, Elon could not punch any runs across the plate, leaving the score at a 3-0 deficit.

Kent State looked to extend its lead in the fifth after loading the bases with no outs. But senior Lauren Taylor was able to get the Phoenix out of the inning without any damage, forcing a double play and a groundout to leave all three runners on base.

Elon was able to get on the board in the bottom of the fifth after a groundout to the shortstop by Gonzalez scored Shelton, who walked earlier in the inning. Watson then scored off an infield single by Graham to make it a one-run game, 3-2.

In the sixth, senior Pam DelPizzo put Snead, a pinch runner for O’Shea, in scoring position off a sacrifice bunt. Freshman Lauren Oldham brought home Snead, the tying run, on a single to center and then a throwing error by Kent State’s center fielder.

With the score tied at 3-3, Elon was able to escape the top of the seventh with runners on the corners and to give itself a chance to walk off with a win in the bottom of the seventh.

The Phoenix loaded the bases quickly on three straight singles by Gonzalez, McGowan and Graham. With one down, O’Shea lined out to the pitcher who attempted to throw out Gonzalez at third. But the throw sailed over the head of the third baseman Jessica Carmichael and allowed Gonzalez to cross the plate with the game-winning run, giving Elon another 4-3 walk-off win.

Elon wraps up the Phoenix Leadoff Classic tomorrow afternoon at East Field against Kent State at 1:15 p.m. and Youngstown State at 3:30 p.m.