COLUMBIA, S.C. – After eight straight home games, the Elon University softball team played in its first road contest of the season today, Feb. 26, in a doubleheader at South Carolina. The Phoenix split the series with the Gamecocks falling 2-0 in the first game before topping the Gamecocks, 8-1, in the nightcap. Elon moves its record to 8-2 on the season, while South Carolina is now 9-4.

After a relatively quiet three innings, South Carolina came alive in the fourth after compiling two runs off three hits. A one-out double to left center by Kelley Dillion put Jackie Slawson in as a pinch runner. Slawson would eventually make her way home off a wild pitch and then a throwing error by sophomore Camille Hill to put the Phoenix behind, 1-0. Samie Garcia’s RBI single later in the inning gave South Carolina a 2-0 edge.

Elon attempted a comeback in the sixth after sophomore Tomeka Watson tried to spark an Elon rally with a two-out single up the middle. But Elon would leave Watson stranded on base when South Carolina pitcher Audrey Broyles managed to get out of the inning without any damage after striking out Jackie Gonzalez to end the threat.

Senior Lauren Taylor (4-1) lost her first game of the season after going six innings in the circle and giving up two runs off four hits, striking out a pair of Gamecocks. Broyles (2-1) picked up the win and the shutout giving up just two hits, striking out six and issuing zero walks.

Elon’s two hits in the game came off a single in the first by senior Caitlin McGowan and Watson’s single in the sixth.

The Phoenix came storming back in the second game against the Gamecocks, scoring three runs off just one hit in the top of the first. Watson was walked to start off the game and then advanced to second off a bunt by Gonzalez. After USC starter Julie Sarratt hit McGowan to load the bases for senior Emerald Graham, the Southern Conference leader in runs batted in sent a sacrifice fly to left field to plate Watson and give her squad a 1-0 edge. An RBI single by junior #Erin O’Shea# scored Gonzalez to give the Phoenix a 2-0 lead. Elon tacked on one more in the inning following a South Carolina pitching change to claim a 3-0 advantage.

The Gamecocks tried to answer quickly with two singles in the bottom of the first, but starting pitcher O’Shea got consecutive batters to fly out and pop up to get out of the inning and leave two Gamecocks stranded on base.

After Kaitlyn Piazzolla’s leadoff double in the top of the third, junior Danielle Lafferty stepped up to the plate and sent the first offering over the left field fence for her first homer of the season to give Elon a commanding 5-0 lead.

After three and a half scoreless innings, Graham extended Elon’s lead when her two-run double to right center gave the Phoenix a 7-0 lead. O’Shea would then reach on a fielding error that scored Graham and gave the Phoenix an 8-0 lead.

The Gamecocks managed to score a run in the seventh to make it a seven-run game, but Elon’s defense and a solid effort in the circle from O’Shea proved to be too much for USC in game two.

O’Shea pitched all seven innings for the Phoenix in game two to earn the win, allowing one run on six hits and a walk to improve to 3-0 this season.

Watson recorded two hits in the game for the Phoenix, extending her hitting streak to 10 games (one in every game this season). Graham finished the game with three RBI to improve her season total to an impressive 16.

The Elon softball team travels south to Florida next weekend to play in the Stetson Classic at Stetson University, March 4-6. The Phoenix takes on Tennessee State in its first game of the tournament on Friday, March 4, at 11 a.m.