Box Score

ELON, N.C. – Behind five RBI from Tomeka Watson and solid performances in the circle from Lauren Taylor and #Erin O’Shea#, the Elon University softball team registered an 8-4 victory on Friday afternoon, Feb. 18, at East Field in the first game of the Elon Invitational.

Watson finished the afternoon 2-for-3 at the plate with a walk and five RBI, while O’Shea added a pair hits for the Phoenix, including her first home run of the season.

Taylor moved to 3-0 on the year after going four innings, giving up one earned run on five hits, while tallying four strikeouts for the Phoenix. O’Shea pitched the final three innings and gave up two runs on two hits, while striking out four Pirates to pick up her first save of the season.

Seton Hall (0-1) got going early in the first inning with a lead off infield single to short by Michelle Reed. But catcher Kaitlyn Piazzolla immediately gunned down Reed on an attempted steal during the following at bat to keep the bases clear. Seton Hall then followed with three infield singles to load the bases and pushed across a run on a walk, but Taylor limited the Pirates’ damage to one run by getting a strike out and a foul out to limit Seton Hall to a 1-0 edge.

Elon (4-1) made it a 1-1 game in the third after putting runners on second and third with one down for their first scoring opportunity of the game. Lauren Oldham and Hannah Shelton reached base via a walk and single and Watson moved them both into scoring position on a ground out. Elon got on the board on a wild throw down the line by the SHU catcher but could not push Shelton across for the go-ahead run.

But the Phoenix broke through and took the lead in the fourth after exploding for four runs to take a 5-1 lead. After putting runners on first and second to start the inning, Pam DelPizzo delivered with a RBI single to give Elon the lead and put runners on the corners. Oldham forced a walk to load the bases and Watston followed it up with a three-run triple down the right field line with two outs to break the game open and give the maroon and gold a four-run edge.

O’Shea added on to Elon’s lead in the sixth when she hammered a solo home run deep over the left field fence to give the Phoenix a 6-1 lead.

The Pirates responded with one run in the sixth, but O’Shea limited the damage and stranded two Seton Hall runners on base to keep Elon’s lead intact, 6-2.

Elon added two runs in the sixth after the Phoenix put runners at second and third. Oldham reached second on an error and Carleigh Nester singled up the middle and advanced to second on the throw. Watson continued her big day with a single up the middle for her fourth and fifth RBI of the day to make it an 8-2 game.

Seton Hall added two runs in the seventh on a two-run homer to left off the bat of Laura Canulli to make it an 8-4 game, but that was as close as the Pirates would get.

The Elon Invitational continues tomorrow afternoon at East Field as the Phoenix takes on Dayton at 2 p.m. and Morgan State at 4:15 p.m.