Game 2 Box Score

Game 3 Box Score

ELON, N.C. – Two walk-off victories, including a seventh inning home run from Danielle Lafferty in game three, propelled the Elon softball team to a series sweep of Western Carolina on Saturday afternoon, April 23, at East Field. The victory in game three over the Catamounts marked the 270th career win for Elon head coach Patti Raduenz, who is now Elon’s all-time wins leader in this her 11th season at the helm. Raduenz passes former head coach Sue Leonard, who coached Elon from 1990-1998.

The Phoenix needed eight innings in game two for a 1-0 shutout victory over WCU behind a brilliant performance in the circle from #Erin O’Shea# before the team rallied back in game three for a 7-6 win behind Lafferty’s two-run walk-off shot over the fence in center field.

Elon improves to 23-20 overall and 8-10 in the Southern Conference, while WCU drops to 18-28 (3-15 SoCon). Elon is a perfect 6-0 against WCU over the last two seasons, as the Phoenix has outscored the Catamounts, 63-10.

Game Two

Elon and Western Carolina traded zeros on the scoreboard for seven innings until the Phoenix broke through in the eighth on an RBI single up the middle off the bat of Tomeka Watson.

O'Shea (8-10), locked in a pitchers duel the entire afternoon, earned the victory after going eight strong innings of shutout softball and surrendering only three hits and striking out eight.

Western Carolina had an a chance to break the game open when they loaded the bases with two down in the third but O’Shea got a strikeout to end the threat and keep the game scoreless.

The Catamounts looked to get things going in the sixth after Scotton singled to start the sixth for the Catamounts. But Elon immediately erased that scoring threat by forcing a double play in the next at-bat to end the inning.

Elon put only its second runner into scoring position in the seventh when Emerald Graham beat out an infield single to start the inning. She stole second and then moved to third on a Kaitlyn Piazzolla sacrifice bunt. But the Phoenix could not push across the winning run, as the game went to extras.

O’Shea shut down Western Carolina in the top half of the eighth and the Phoenix looked to win the game again in the bottom of the inning after Lafferty ripped a leadoff single through the left side. Jackie Gonzalez then attempted to move her into scoring position but instead reached on a miscue by the third baseman. Carleigh Nester followed with a sacrifice bunt to move the runners to second on third. The Catamounts elected to intentionally walk Caitlin McGowan to load the bases before Tomeka Watson came up with a line shot up the middle to bring home the winning run for the Phoenix and a 1-0 win.

Game Three

Following a five-run top of the sixth from WCU that made it a 6-2 game, the Phoenix rallied in the bottom of the inning to pull within one. Watson and McGowan came up with clutch RBI singles, while Nester reached on a fielder’s choice that plated a run to help make it a 6-5 game going into the seventh.

Kari Pervell was solid in relief for the Phoenix, as she gave up only one hit in one and two-thirds innings of scoreless relief of starter Lauren Taylor, including a quick scoreless seventh inning to give the Phoenix momentum going into the bottom half. Pervell earned the win to improve to 2-0 this season.

Following two quick outs in the seventh, Camille Hill singled down the left field line to put the winning run at the plate with Lafferty. On a 1-2 delivery Lafferty sent Katie King’s offering over the left field fence to give Elon a 7-6 walk-off win, its second of the day.

Lafferty went 3-for-4 with three RBI and a run scored in the series finale. In three games against WCU, Lafferty hit a scolding .750 (6-for-8) with two runs scored, seven RBI and a 1.125 slugging percentage.

Watson went 4-for-4 with two RBI in game two and finished the series with a .545 batting average (6-for-11) with one run, two doubles, two RBI and two stolen bases.

Elon got things stared early in the second game after Nester led off the game with a single to center and then moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by McGowan. Nester stole third and came home on a line drive double to left off the bat of Watson to give Elon an early 1-0 advantage.

Western Carolina immediately responded with its first run on the day after the Catamounts put runners on first and second with one down. Griffin came up with an RBI single to knot the game at 1-all.

The Phoenix regained the lead in the fourth after Piazzolla started the inning with a double down the left field line and moved to third on a well-placed sacrifice bunt by DelPizzo. With two outs, Lafferty roped a single through the left side to give Elon a 2-1 lead.

The Catamounts fought back in the sixth to put up a five spot after they loaded the bases with no down on back-to-back singles by Steinhardt and Braman, and a walk to Burnette. A walk to King and Fulton forced home a pair of runs and an Elon throwing miscue on a single by Pace allowed the Catamounts to plate three more runs in the inning to take a four-run lead.

But Elon quickly responded in the bottom of the inning with three runs and followed it up with Lafferty’s game-winner in the seventh to finish off the Catamounts and earn the sweep.

Elon is back in action for a mid-week SoCon matchup at Furman on Wednesday and Thursday, April 27-28, in Greenville, S.C.