Box Score

GREENVILLE, S.C. -- In a game that featured a 26 runs and a Southern Conference Tournament record 39 hits, the third-seeded Elon Phoenix held off a ninth-inning charge from second-seeded College of Charleston to claim a 14-12 victory in an elimination game.

For Elon (32-25), Ryan Kinsella matched career-highs with five RBI and four hits.  The Phoenix pounded out a season-high 21 hits and 10 of the 11 players to have a plate appearance recorded a hit.  Sebastian Gomez, Jake Luce and Chris Bresnahan all had three-hit outings.

“I think more than anything, the win speaks to the character of our team," said Elon skipper Mike Kennedy.  "We came back against one of the best teams in the league, and the country, and won.  I was very impressed that we never gave up and we never quit.  They kept coming at us and we answered.  I’m extremely proud of the way we bounced back.”

With Elon holding a 14-9 lead entering the last of the ninth, the Cougars (37-20) rallied.  After a walk to Cody Martin started the inning, Jimmy Holton doubled down the left field line.  Marty Gantt drove in his third run of the game by hitting a single through the right side to make it 14-10.  With runners on the corners Brandon Glazer drew a walk to load the bases for Brandon Murray who delivered a single to right to drive home two run.  A one-out walk reloaded the bases before Bradley Goodson struck out, leaving the inning to Tyler Jackson who had earlier had a pinch-hit, two-RBI double.  Elon closer Nate Young was able to get Jackson to bounce a 1-1 pitch to second to end the game.

Elon got off to a quick start, scoring twice in the top of the first inning.  Quinn Bower reached on an error to start the game before going to third on Blaine Bower's double down the right field line.  With one out, Kinsella singled to left to plate Quinn Bower, but a strong throw home erased Blaine Bower.  Joey Tomko drove in the second run by sending the first pitch he saw through the right side.

The Phoenix loaded the bases in the second on a Luce bunt single, a two-out single from Quinn Bower and a walk to Blaine Bower.  Alex Swim's grounder to second was misplayed, extending the inning and allowing the third Elon run to cross the plate.  Kinsella made it a 5-0 game by lining a single into center to score the Bower brothers.  With runners on the corners, Tomko picked up another RBI with a single to center that plated Swim.

Charleston got on the board in the bottom of the second, scoring two runs on a sac fly from Devon Reed and a RBI single off the bat of Gantt.

With two outs in the third inning, the third Cougar error of the game allowed Quinn Bower to reach and Luce to score to make it a 7-2 game.

Jimmy Helton cut the Cougar deficit to 7-3 when he led off the bottom of the fourth with a homer that just cleared the Green Monster in left.  After Gantt singled, Glazer connected on his seventh homer of the season to make it 7-5.

The maroon and gold answered right back, scoring four in the top of the fifth.  The Phoenix loaded the bases before Swim doubled to the gap in right-center to drive in three.  He later scored on a Kinsella single as Elon built an 11-5 edge.

Gantt picked up his second RBI of the game with a two-out single to right in the bottom of the fifth before the Phoenix pushed across one in the top of the sixth.  Elon's marker in the sixth came on a Kinsella single with the bases loaded.

Jackson closed CofC's deficit to four runs when he drove in two with a two-out double in the last of the sixth.

Bresnahan lined a single to left in the top of the seventh to drive home the 13th Phoenix tally of the game.

The CofC deficit was again reduced to four runs when Murray led off the last of the eighth with a home run to right.

Elon tacked on an insurance run in the top of the ninth when Luce was able to score on a wild pitch.

Andrew MacDonald (5-3) picked up the win in relief of Spencer Medick.  MacDonald allowed four runs on five hits in 2.2 innings.  Young threw one scoreless frame to pick up his 11th save of the season.

CofC starter Josh Renfro (6-7) was tagged with the loss as he surrendered six unearned runs on eight hits in just two innings.

Elon's victory keeps the maroon and gold alive.  The Phoenix will play the loser of tonight's Georgia Southern-The Citadel matchup at 3 p.m. on Friday afternoon at Fluor Field.