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STATESBORO, Ga. – The Elon softball team saw its five-run lead cut to two in the bottom of the seventh against fourth-seeded College of Charleston on Wednesday afternoon, May 11, at Eagle Field, but a diving catch in center field by rookie Carleigh Nester with two outs and the bases loaded sealed a 7-5 victory for the fifth-seeded Phoenix.

Elon (30-22) advances to the next round of the tournament and will face top-seeded Chattanooga tomorrow, May 12, at 3 p.m. at Eagle Field.

The Cougars made it a close game in the bottom of the seventh after loading the bases with one out and scoring a run from third on an infield single to make it a 7-3 game. The Cougars made it a 7-4 game after Elon southpaw Lauren Taylor, working her third inning of relief, hit Kelsey Hodgson with the bases loaded to score Stringer from third and put the tying run at first. After Kari Pervell came in to relieve Taylor and record the second out via strike out, the Cougars pulled within two after a passed ball scored Lizzy Vaughn from third to limit Elon to a 7-5 lead. But that was as close as the Cougars would come, as Nester laid out for a diving catch in shallow center field to secure the victory for the Phoenix.

Nester had a stellar day at the plate as well, going 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored to extend her hitting streak to eight games.

Along with Nester, Tomeka Watson, Caitlin McGowan and Pam DelPizzo all recorded two hits for the Phoenix. Both Watson and McGowan hit solo home runs for Elon in the win.

#Erin O’Shea# had a stellar performance in the circle to improve her record to 12-11 after going four strong innings and giving up two runs on two hits and three walks. O’Shea retired the Cougars in order in the third and fourth innings after CofC recorded both of its hits off O’Shea in the second inning. Taylor and Pervell worked the final three innings for the Phoenix, giving up three runs (one earned) on two hits, two walks and a hit batter.

Elon put runners on the corners with no outs early in the top of the first after back-to-back singles from Nester and McGowan. Following a groundout by Watson that moved McGowan over to second, Emerald Graham ripped a one-out single through the left side to score Nester from third and give the Phoenix a 1-0 lead. Kaitlyn Piazzolla extended Elon’s lead in the next at bat after an infield single to short scored McGowan to make it a 2-0 game.

The Cougars tied the game in the bottom of the second after Carly Corthell belted a two-out triple over the head of Nester in center to score Hillary Stringer and Woodall and make it a 2-all game.

But Elon wasted no time reclaiming the lead, as McGowan hit a leadoff solo home run over the left field fence to give the Phoenix a 3-2 advantage. The homer marks McGowan’s second of the season and the fifth of her career.

Following a leadoff double from DelPizzo in the top of the fourth, Hannah Shelton helped the Phoenix take a two-run edge after ripping a triple down the right field line into the corner to make it a 4-2 game. After Jackie Gonzalez reached base on an infield single and stole second to put runners in scoring position with one out, Nester hit a two-run single up the middle to score her senior teammates and give Elon a 6-2 lead.

Watson helped extend Elon’s lead to five runs, 7-2, in the top of the sixth inning after hitting a leadoff home run, her fifth of the year, to left center off College of Charleston’s Stephanie Saylors.

The Cougars battled back to make it a two-run game in the bottom of the seventh, despite just recording one hit in the inning.

Elon chased SoCon Pitcher of the Year Alexa Datko from the game after three and one-thirds innings after Datko gave up six runs on nine hits to take the loss and drop to 16-8 on the year.