ELON, N.C. – The Elon University softball team struggled to find a rhythm on offense on Wednesday, March 16, at East Field, as the Phoenix dropped a pair of games to the NC State Wolfpack, 4-2 in game one and 13-1 in game two. Elon drops to 13-7 on the year, while NC State improves to 12-10. 

Rookie Carleigh Nester registered three hits on the day, all coming in game one after going 3-for-4 with an RBI, while Tomeka Watson recorded Elon’s only hit in game two with a solo home run over the fence in left center. Emerald Graham went 2-for-4 with one run scored in game one for the Phoenix.

Lauren Taylor, the reigning Southern Conference Pitcher of the Week, went all seven innings in game one, but suffered the loss to fall to 8-3 on the year. #Erin O’Shea# went four innings in game two and gave up nine runs (seven earned) on nine hits and three walks to take the loss.

NC State’s offense struck early after pushing two runs across the plate on just one hit in the first inning to take a 2-0 lead following a two-run single to left with the bases loaded by Bethany Wells.

Elon put together a two-out rally in the bottom half of the first to load the basses on a walk by Caitlin McGowan and back-to-back singles by Graham and Nester, but the Phoenix left all three runners stranded on base to stay behind, 2-0.

The Wolfpack tacked on to its lead in the third with an opposite field solo homer to right-center off the bat of Wells to take a 3-0 advantage.

The Phoenix put a run on the board in the third and limited NC State to a 3-1 lead after McGowan walked and Graham singled to put runners on first and second with one down. Nester then delivered with a line-drive double over the left fielder’s head to bring home Elon’s first run.

But the Wolfpack responded in the fourth after Taylor got into trouble and walked in an NC State run to make it a 4-1 game. Taylor got out of the inning without any further damage to keep the Phoenix within arm’s length.

Elon threatened in its final at-bat in the seventh when it loaded the bases with two down. A run came home after a fielding error by the shortstop that put the winning run at first base. But the maroon and gold rally ended on a pop out to short ending the ballgame with the score 4-2.

Elon put runners on base all afternoon but could not find the hit to push runs across the plate, leaving 13 runners left on base for the game.

Taylor went seven innings, giving up four runs on nine hits for Elon. Morgan Heeler (6-4) picked up the win for NC State, despite lasting only four innings and giving up one run on five hits.

NC State got on the board early once again in the second game with one run in the first after Alyssa Albritten singled to bring home Alyssa Ishibashi, who was hit-by-pitch to start the game.

But Elon tied the game in the bottom of the third after Watson belted her third round-tripper of the season over the fence in left center to make it a 1-1 game and give the Phoenix a spark.

However, NC State immediately struck back with six runs in the fourth to take a commanding 7-1 lead. With runners on second and third and one out, a wild pitch brought home one run and a single by Breanna Andrews brought home another to make it a 3-1 game. NC State added four more runs, including a three-run homer by Bridget Desbois, to take a six-run lead.

The Phoenix loaded the bases on three walks in the bottom of the fourth, but could not chip into the deficit. The Wolfpack added on six more runs in the fifth all with two outs to take a 13-1 lead and all but seal the win.

Kayla Cox registered 13 strikeouts over five innings of work to pick up the win for NC State and improve to 6-5, while O’Shea dropped to 4-3 on the year with the setback.

The Phoenix travels to Boone, N.C. this weekend for a series with SoCon rival Appalachian State. Elon will play a doubleheader with the Mountaineers on Saturday, March 19, at 1 p.m. with the final game of the series scheduled for 1 p.m. on Sunday, March 20.