Box Score

ELON, N.C. -- A seven-run afternoon by the Elon offense combined with a masterful starting pitching performance by Dylan Clark sent the Phoenix soaring past the visiting Georgia Southern Eagles by a 7-2 margin on Saturday afternoon.  The win, which improved Elon to 9-5 overall and 4-1 in the Southern Conference, assured the maroon and gold of a series win.  GSU dropped to 7-8, 0-2.

Clark (4-1) struck out a career-best eight hitters in seven innings to claim the win.  He scattered seven hits and gave up just one run.

Three different Phoenix players notched multi-hit games - Alex Swim (3-for-4, one run, one SB), Sebastian Gomez (2-for-4, one RBI and Ryan Kinsella (2-for-4, one run, two RBI).

"Any time you can score early, it relaxes the dugout a little bit," said Elon head coach Mike Kennedy.  "Our guys know that when Dylan's out there, if we can get two or three we have a chance to win.  I thought our at bats got better as the day went on too."

Georgia Southern took a 1-0 lead thanks to a two-out homer by Eric Phillips in the first inning only to see the Phoenix answer back with a run of its own in the bottom half.  Elon scored its first marker when Garrett Koster doubled home Niko Fraser.

Elon increased its lead to 3-1 in the last of the third.  With Fraser on third and Swim on second with one out, Kinsella laced a liner into the gap in right-center to plate both runners.

The Phoenix erupted for four runs in the sixth inning to cushion its advantage.  Kinsella got things started with a single and Elon loaded the bases with a walk to Grant McCoury and a bunt single by Jake Luce.  Joey Tomko and Gomez would then draw bases-loaded walks to force home two runs before Fraser doubled to right-center to drive in the final two runs.

Tyler Avera's grounder in the ninth scored GSU's second run.

Taking the loss for the Eagles was Jarret Leverett (1-1).  Leverett allowed three runs on seven hits in four frames.

Elon will look to complete the conference series sweep when game three gets underway at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday afternoon at Latham Park.