Box Score

ELON, N.C. -- With the game tied at five heading to the bottom of the seventh, the Elon Phoenix erupted to score 13 runs over its next two at bats to claim an 18-5 Southern Conference baseball victory over The Citadel on Thursday night.  Elon (30-24, 19-10 SoCon) has now won 30 or more games in 13 consecutive seasons and has secured at least the third seed in the upcoming SoCon Tournament.

After The Citadel (24-30, 13-16) had evened the score at five with RBI singles from Justin Mackert and Bo Thompson in the top of the seventh, the Phoenix responded with three runs to take an 8-5 lead.  With one out and Blaine Bower on first, Chris Bresnahan dropped a single down the right field line to put runners on the corners.  Eric Serra followed by bouncing one through the right side of the infield to drive home the go-ahead tally.  A failed pickoff at first allowed Bresnahan to score from third and Serra would later score on a single off the bat of Alex Swim.

The maroon and gold put up 10 runs in the eighth inning to put the game out of reach.  Elon received nine of its 14 walks in the bottom of the eighth, including five with the bags full.  In the frame, Elon had just two hits - a two-run single from Quinn Bower and a RBI single by Casey Jones.

The Bulldogs took an early 2-0 lead in the top of the second as both Tyler Griffin and Bailey Rush picked up RBI.

Elon answered with two in its half of the inning as Bresnahan was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Serra drove in one on a fielder's choice.  The Phoenix took a 4-2 lead after three thanks to a two-RBI double from Ryan Kinsella and added its fifth run on a Swim single in the fourth.

Thompson's sixth inning single drove in a run to make it 5-3.

Jordan Darnell (2-2) earned the win with 2.1 scoreless innings out of the pen.  He allowed two hits and struck out two.  Starter David Whitehead gave up three runs on four hits in 5.1 innings.

James Reeves (6-4) was charged with the loss after surrendering three runs on two hits in an inning of relief.

All nine Elon starters had at least one RBI and eight of the nine had at least one hit as the Phoenix tallied its highest run total of the season.

The Phoenix will look to complete the series sweep as it closes out the 2012 regular season against The Citadel at 1:30 p.m. on Friday at Latham Park.