Box Score

ELON, N.C. -- Elon pitching issued eight walks and the team committed two errors and the UNC Wilmington Seahawks took advantage in a 10-5 victory over the Phoenix from Latham Park on Wednesday afternoon.

Of the eight walks, six came around to score as UNCW improved to 4-4 on the year.  Elon fell to 5-3.

The game got off to a rough start for the Phoenix as David Whitehead walked the first two hitters of the game before uncorking two wild pitches to lead to a Seahawk run.  After another walk put runners on the corners, Whitehead struck out the next two hitters before a fourth walk loaded the bases.  A third wild pitch of the frame allowed a second run to score.

Elon got on the board in the second inning when Cyle Rasmus lifted a sacrifice fly to center that drove home Grant McCoury who was on third after a single and Seth Canipe double.

UNCW added three to its lead in the third inning on a Hunter Ridge homer to right-center.  One-out walks to Andrew Cain and Matt Campbell were issued ahead of Ridge.

The Elon fourth began with Rasmus reaching on a wild pitch on a strike out.  He then moved to second when Garrett Koster reached on a Seahawk error.  Following a double steal, Rasmus scored on Ben Scott's ground out.  With two away, Jake Luce lined a double to the gap in right-center to plate Koster to make it a 5-3 game.

In the bottom of the sixth, Koster drew a leadoff walk and stole second before going to third on Scott's double off the wall in left-center.  Harry Austin then picked up a RBI when his ground out scored Koster and moved Scott to third.  The Phoenix tied the score at five on Luce's sacrifice fly to left as Scott raced home.

The score remained even at five into the eighth inning.  Thomas Pope began the top of the frame with a bunt single and went to second on a sacrifice bunt.  After a walk, Cameron Cockman grounded a ball to short, but the throw to second was off its mark and allowed Pope to score the go-ahead run and leave runners on the corners.  With two down, Cockman stole second, but the second Elon error of the inning came on the throw to second and allowed UNCW's seventh run of the night to come home.

Back-to-back singles from Campbell and Ridge to start the ninth put Seahawk runners on the corners.  A walk then loaded the bases before Pope's single through the drawn in infield brought home Campbell to make it 8-5.  With one down, Michael Bass was hit by a 2-2 pitch to force home Ridge with UNCW's ninth run of the game.  Cockman was then also hit, forcing home the final run.

Dylan Clark (0-2) took the loss after allowing one unearned run on four hits in 4.1 inning of relief work.

UNCW's Jack Lane (1-0) picked up the win with 2.2 scoreless frames to end the game.

Luce finished the game with two hits in four at bats as well as two RBI.  Alex Swim went 0-for-5 to see his career-best 11-game hitting streak come to an end.

Pope ended the afternoon 3-for-5 while Ridge was 2-for-4 with two runs and three RBI.

Elon will host the Elon Invitational this weekend featuring Wright State, West Virginia and Temple.  The Phoenix will play Wright State at 4 p.m. on Friday in its first game of the tournament.