Box Score
CHARLESTON, S.C. – Seven innings weren’t enough to decide the series between the Elon softball team and Charleston Southern as the finale of the three-game set ended in favor of the Phoenix, 6-4, in 10 innings. Elon earned the 2-1 series win after a split with the Bucs yesterday. The Phoenix improves to 15-11 on the season with the win, while CSU falls to 13-19.
Several Phoenix players had a great afternoons at the plate, including Camille Hill who went 3-for-4 scoring one run and recording an RBI. Tomeka Watson brought in two runs off two hits in her six appearances at the plate.
In the bottom of the first, CSU put runners on first and second after two straight walks. Jessica Brock then doubled down the right field line to score one run and give the Bucs an early 1-0 advantage.
After Danielle Lafferty was walked to start the second inning, Hill hit a sacrifice bunt to move Lafferty to second. With one on and two outs, Jackie Gonzalez singled to second to place runners on the corners for the recent hot bat of Carleigh Nester. Nester then sent a double down the left field line to drive in Lafferty and tie the game for the Phoenix, 1-1.
The Bucs regained the lead, 2-1, in the fourth when Melanie Stickney pushed Jana Matthews across the plate from third with a single to left field. Matthews reached earlier on a triple to right center.
Caitlin McGowan started the Phoenix off in the sixth inning with a leadoff single up the middle. Hannah Shelton, a pinch runner for McGowan, stole second and then advanced to third off a sacrifice bunt by Lafferty. With one out, Hill sent the ball to center field for an RBI single that scored Shelton and knotted the game at 2-2.
With runners at second and third in the top of the seventh, Lafferty hit a single up the middle to bring home Pam DelPizzo and give Elon its first lead of the game at 3-2.
CSU was able to tie the game, 3-3, in the bottom of the seventh to send the game into extra innings. The Bucs scored the tying run off a solo homer to left field by Megan Lombard.
After two scoreless innings, the Phoenix erupted in the 10th with three runs off four hits. With Lauren Oldham placed on second to start the inning, Hill hit a leadoff single to advance Oldham to third and leave runners on the corners. A wild pitch by CSU pitcher Morgan Dowdy moved Hill all the way to third but the Bucs managed to get Oldham out at home. Morgan Wright then singled up the middle to score Hill and give Elon a 4-3 lead. After Nester reached on an error, Watson came to the plate with runners on first and second. Watson then sent a double to right center to add two more runs to the Phoenix lead.
The Bucs scored one run in the bottom of the 10th to make it 6-4, but were not able to overcome Elon’s three-run inning, giving the Phoenix the game and series.
#Erin O’Shea# (6-4) picked up her second straight win after pitching all 10 innings. The junior allowed four runs, one unearned, off seven hits and struck out four. Dowdy (5-12) took the loss giving up all six runs, two of which were unearned. Eight different players in the maroon and gold combined for Elon’s 16 hits.
The Phoenix returns home to East Field for a mid-week doubleheader with North Carolina A&T beginning at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, March 30.
-- ELON --
