Box Score

CULLOWHEE, N.C. -- Neal Pritchard drove in three runs while Ken Ferrer picked up his 25th career victory as the Elon Phoenix claimed a 5-4 win over the Western Carolina Catamounts in game two of a three-game Southern Conference baseball series on Saturday.  Elon upped its mark to 14-6 overall and 5-0 in the SoCon, marking the first time that the Phoenix has begun SoCon play 5-0.  WCU fell to 8-9, 0-5.

Ferrer (3-0) moved took over sole possession of fourth place on Elon's all-time wins chart after he allowed three runs on four hits in six innings.  The big senior also fanned six.  Mitch Conner picked up his third save of the year after giving up a run on a hit in the ninth.

Pritchard lined a 3-2 pitch into left for a lead-off single in the top of the second and then headed to second on a walk to Ryan Kinsella.  A deep fly to right moved Pritchard to third before Cyle Rasmus sent a fly ball to left-center that allowed Pritchard to tag and score the first run of the contest.

Elon extended its lead to 4-0 in the third when Pritchard belted his third home run of the season, this one a three-run shot that cleared the wall in left.  Riding home on the two-out blast were Niko Fraser, who had been hit by a pitch, and Alex Swim, who singled.

The Catamounts got back-to-back singles from Stephen Notaro and Adam Martin to start the last of the fifth.  After a sacrifice bunt, Aaron Attaway drew a walk to load the bases.  Western got on the board when Cameron Dullnig's ground ball to first plated Notaro.  Elon escaped further damage when Austin Schultz grounded out to short to end the inning.

The Phoenix loaded the bases in the seventh with one-out singles from Rasmus and Scott Carcaise before Harry Austin was plunked.  The Catamount right fielder robbed Elon of more runs with a diving grab of a Jake Luce liner, but Rasmus was able to tag and score on the sacrifice fly to make it a 5-1 lead.

Two walks and a single loaded the bases for WCU in the seventh before Attaway grounded a ball to first to score Notaro from third.  With one out and runners on second and third after Attaway stole second, Dullnig's ground out scored Martin to pull WCU within two at 5-3.

Adam Martin made it a 5-4 game by sending the first pitch of the bottom of the ninth over the fence in left-center for his third homer of the year.  The Catamounts would put two aboard in with two down before Conner struck out Dykota Spiess to end the game.

Pritchard ended the day 2-for-4 with two runs and three RBI.  Carcaise's single was the first hit of the freshman's career.

Martin finished 2-for-3 with two runs and one RBI for the Catamounts.

Taking the loss was Jordan Smith (2-2) who gave up five runs on five hits in 6.1 innings.

Elon will look to complete the three-game sweep on Sunday at 2 p.m.