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Elon Game Notes

ELON, N.C. – Coming off a split last weekend at South Carolina, the Elon University softball team (8-2) makes the trek down south this weekend for the Stetson Classic, March 4-6, at Patricia Wilson Field in DeLand, Fla. The Phoenix opens up play on Friday, March 4, with a double-dip against Tennessee State at 11 a.m. and the Binghamton Bearcats at 1:30 p.m. A day later, Elon and Binghamton are slated to meet at 11 a.m. before the Phoenix ends the day with a 4 p.m. contest against host Stetson. The Stetson Classic championship/consolation game is scheduled for Sunday, March 6.
 
ELON VS. THE FIELD: The Phoenix met both the Binghamton Bearcats (0-0) and the Stetson Hatters (6-8) in 2008. Elon is 1-0 vs. Binghamton with the lone win coming on Feb. 23, 2008. The Hatters own the all-time record with the Phoenix, 4-3, with the last game going to Stetson, 2-1, on March 15, 2008. This will be the first-ever meeting between Elon and the Tennessee State Tigers (6-10).
 
THE RADUENZ FILE: The 2011 season marks Patti Raduenz’s 11th season as Elon’s head coach. Raduenz currently holds a 255-303-2 career record. Raduenz is 14 wins shy of passing former Elon head coach Sue Leonard for the most victories in school history.
 
ELON IN MARCH: Since 1992, Elon is 234-178-2 in the month of March. Last season, the Phoenix went 14-6 in the second month of play, while the team’s best performance came in 1992 when Elon went 22-5.

GOING STREAKING: Tomeka Watson has hit safely in all 10 of Elon’s games this season. Watson has tallied a team-best four multiple hit games this season and is batting .412.
 
TAKING HOME HARDWARE: Elon junior pitcher #Erin O’Shea# was named the Southern Conference Pitcher of the Week after an 8-1 win at South Carolina last Saturday. O’Shea posted a 1.00 ERA in the seven innings of work, earning the complete game. The Kennesaw, Ga. native is a perfect 3-0 on the season with one save to her name. It marked the third straight week an Elon player picked up a SoCon honor, as Emerald Graham and Lauren Taylor were both named player and pitcher of the week, respectively, the first two weeks of the season.
 
HOT AT THE DISH: Elon has five players that have started all 10 games hitting .300 or better going into this weekend. Tomeka Watson leads the Phoenix with a team-best 14 hits this season, while Emerald Graham has already belted four home runs and leads the team with 16 RBI and 25 total bases. As a team, Elon is hitting .310 and has tallied 128 total bases compared to 90 by the opposition.
 
QUEENS OF THE CONFERENCE: After the third week of play, Elon and several Phoenix players sit close to or at the top of the standings in the conference. As a team, the Phoenix is currently third in batting (.310), second in slugging percentage (.490) and third in on-base percentage (.386) and RBI (56). Individually, Caitlin McGown ranks first in on-base percentage (.571), doubles (4) and walks (9). Emerald Graham leads in slugging percentage (.862), home runs (4) and sacrifice flies (3) and is second in RBI (16). Tomeka Watson ranks third in stolen bases (7) and steal attempts (8), while Jackie Gonzalez is third in sacrifice bunts (3). Pitcher Lauren Taylor ranks second in wins (4) and sixth in ERA at 2.26.
 
INSIDE THE CIRCLE: The Elon pitching duo of senior Lauren Taylor and junior #Erin O’Shea# combined for a 1.62 ERA last Saturday at SEC opponent South Carolina (compared to the Gamecock’s 3.50 ERA). The pair only gave up three runs in 13 innings of work and have combined for a total of 46 strikeouts on the season.
 
ON DECK: Following the Stetson Classic, Elon will open up Southern Conference play at College of Charleston in Mt. Pleasant, S.C. The Phoenix and Cougars will play a doubleheader on Saturday, March 11 and another game on Sunday, March 12. Games will begin at 1 p.m. both days.