Box Score

STATESBORO, Ga. -- Two errors and four unearned runs were costly for the Elon Phoenix baseball team which fell by a 6-0 margin to the homestanding Georgia Southern Eagles on Saturday afternoon.  The loss dropped the Phoenix to 25-16 overall and 14-6 in Southern Conference play.  The Eagles improved to 24-15, 13-4.

The Eagle second began with Victor Roache being hit by a pitch and a double to right off the bat of Steve Cochrane.  Elon got out of the early jam when Palmer bounced back to the pitcher before a grounder to third retired Roache at the plate.  The third out came when Ben Morgan flew out to center.

Georgia Southern got on the board in the third with a walk to Brent Pugh.  A passed ball and wild pitch moved Pugh to third before another passed ball on a walk to Shawn Payne scored the first run of the game.

Two innings later, Elon allowed three unearned runs as the Phoenix committed two errors.  The Eagles had only two hits in the inning, a double from Shawn Payne and a Roache homer as GSU took a 4-0 advantage.

Payne made it a 5-0 game when he led off the seventh with a solo homer to left-center.

The Eagles tacked on a sixth run on a Payne single in the eighth.

The four unearned runs were all charged to Elon starter Thomas Girdwood who fell to 2-4 on the year.  He went six innings, allowing just three hits and striking out four.  The Phoenix saw its bullpen's scoreless inning streak snapped at 32.1 when David Whitehead allowed one run in the seventh inning.

Andy Moye (5-1) shutout Elon for seven innings, scattering five hits and fanning seven, to pick up the win.

Neal Pritchard had two of Elon's six hits on the day.

Payne went 3-for-4, scored twice and drove in two to lead the Eagles.

Elon will look to avoid the sweep on Sunday.  First pitch is set for 1:30 p.m.