Game 2 Box Score

Game 3 Box Score

ELON, N.C. – After rain postponed the Phoenix’s second game with Georgia Southern yesterday, the Elon University softball team picked up a win in a suspended game two, 2-1, and won the finale, 3-2, to earn the series win over the Eagles. Elon improves to 19-15 on the season and 4-8 in Southern Conference play, while GSU falls to 22-23 (10-5 SoCon).
 
Game Two
 
The teams resumed the second game of the series in the bottom of the sixth inning, where Elon held a 1-0 lead with the bases loaded with two outs and Tomeka Watson at the plate. GSU hurler Brianna Streetmon managed to get Watson to ground out and move the game to the seventh.
 
The Eagles managed to put a run across the plate in the seventh to make it a 1-1 game after a lead-off home run to right field by Mackenzie Williams gave GSU momentum. The Phoenix could not win it in the bottom half of the inning, sending the game to extras.
 
In the bottom of the eighth, Danielle Lafferty, who reached on an infield bunt, scored the winning run from third after Caitlin McGowan’s two-out hit was misfielded by the GSU third baseman. Lafferty’s run gave the Phoenix a 2-1 walk-off victory to force a game-three rubber-match.
 
Elon starter Lauren Taylor, who pitched the first six innings and came in the game again in the eighth in relief of #Erin O’Shea#, earned the win after giving up just one hit and striking out eight. Streetmon took the loss for Georgia Southern after going all seven and two-thirds innings, yielding two runs off nine hits. Jackie Gonzalez went 3-for-3 at the plate recording Elon’s only RBI of the game.
 
Game Three
 
After two scoreless innings, GSU took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third off a solo home run to left field by Megen Smith. After reaching on an error and stealing second in the fourth, Kelly Burnett scored on a double to left by Andrea Tarashuk to put the Phoenix behind, 2-0.
 
But Elon responded immediately by scoring two runs off two hits in the bottom of the fourth inning. Kaitlyn Piazzolla was walked to start the inning and later stole second. With two outs, Gonzalez ripped a triple down the right field line to score Piazzolla and leave a runner in scoring position for Carleigh Nester. The rookie responded with a two-out single up the middle to bring Gonzalez home and make it a 2-2 game.
 
Pam DelPizzo relieved Taylor in the circle in the top of the fifth, fanning two Eagles to keep it a 2-2 game and take the game into the bottom of the fifth.
 
DelPizzo helped her own cause at the dish after recording a one-out single to left field to put the go-ahead run on base for the Phoenix. After O’Shea reached safely on a fielder’s choice, which also found DelPizzo safe at second, Morgan Wright was walked with two outs to load the bases for Gonzalez. Gonzalez responded again with another key two-out base hit to push home pinch runner Hannah Shelton, giving Elon a 3-2 lead, one it would not relinquish.
 
DelPizzo earned the win after pitching three innings, giving up one hit while also striking out two. Allie Miles took the loss for the Eagles after going two and one-thirds innings and allowing one run off three hits. Nester finished the game 3-for-4 at the plate, recording the game-tying RBI.

After four victories this week, Elon head coach Patti Raduenz sits only four wins away from passing former head coach Sue Leonard for the most in school history.
 
The Elon softball team will play a mid-week doubleheader at Charlotte on Wednesday, April 10, with the first game scheduled to begin at 4 p.m.