Box Score

ELON, N.C. – A balanced attack on offense and a brilliant performance in the circle from senior southpaw Lauren Taylor provided a fitting end to the home careers of six Elon University softball seniors on Sunday afternoon, May 8, at East Field, as the Phoenix shut out the UNCG Spartans for the third straight game en route to a 7-0 victory.

Elon finishes the regular season at 29-22 overall and 12-12 in Southern Conference play, while UNCG falls to 24-30 (10-14 SoCon). Elon ends the regular season with nine straight wins at East Field and heads into next week’s SoCon Tournament riding a five-game winning streak.

Today marked the final home game for seniors Hannah Shelton, Jackie Gonzalez, Caitlin McGowan, Emerald Graham, Lauren Taylor and Pam DelPizzo.

Taylor improved to 13-9 on the season with the win today after going seven strong innings and giving up four hits and four walks, while fanning two Spartans. The complete game shutout is Taylor’s fourth of the season.

Rookie Carleigh Nester had a stellar day at the plate in the win, going 3-for-3 with two doubles, a walk and a run scored.

Tomeka Watson and Kaitlyn Piazzolla both recorded two hits in the victory, while senior Emerald Graham drove in two runs for the Phoenix.

The Elon offense put two runs on the board in the first to take an early lead after Graham smacked on opposite-field double into the gap in right center to plate Nester and McGowan, who doubled and singled earlier in the inning.

UNCG put a runner in scoring position in the top of the second after a sacrifice bunt by Katelyn Bedwell pushed Kaitlin Merkt over to second base. But Taylor got out of the inning without any Spartans crossing the plate after inducing a pair of groundouts to McGowan at third.

Elon loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the second after a pair of singles to right by Shelton and Nester and a walk to Gonzalez gave the Phoenix momentum. After McGowan hit a sacrifice fly to right to score Shelton at third, the Phoenix capitalized on a Spartans miscue later in the play after UNCG right fielder Jordan Jewett’s throw home sailed over the head of Bedwell behind the plate, allowing Gonzalez to round third base and score to make it a 4-0 game.

Two UNCG miscues led to two more Elon runs in the bottom of the third to make it a 6-0 game. After singing to start the inning and eventually reaching third, Piazzolla took advantage of a Josie Felix wild pitch to the backstop and scored to give Elon a five-run edge. Later in the inning, Gonzalez reached first base on a fielding error by UNCG first baseman Eileen Horsmon, which allowed Shelton to cross the plate and make it a six-run game.

The Phoenix loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the fourth looking to extend its six-run lead. Following a fielder’s choice from DelPizzo that led to Elon’s first out of the inning, Camille Hill scored from third on a wild pitch to make it a 7-0 game. But UNCG’s Hanks managed to allow just the one run to cross the plate after getting a pair of groundouts to end the threat.

Elon has locked up the No. 5 seed in next week’s SoCon Tournament in Statesboro, Ga., which begins on Wednesday, May 11. The Phoenix will play at 12 p.m. against fourth-seeded College of Charleston. Please check elonphoenix.com tomorrow for the complete tournament bracket.