ELON, N.C. – Rookie Abby Barker tossed the first known perfect game for the Elon University softball team at the Division I level as the Phoenix defeated Niagara 8-0 in six innings to open the Elon Softball Tournament on Friday, March 11, at Hunt Softball Park.
 
Barker (3-4) helped the maroon and gold (9-11) snap a four-game losing skid after the Granville, Ohio, native threw 6.0 perfect innings while striking out three batters against the Purple Eagles (2-8). She needed only 74 pitches over the course of the game to become the program's first known perfect game performer at the D-I level and the first to give up no hits in a game since 2011.

The Phoenix overall pumped out 10 hits on the day against Niagara, its ninth double-digit hitting performance of the season and third in a row. Emily Roper was 2-for-2 at the plate with two RBI and two runs scored while Callie Horn was also 2-for-2. Kara Shutt added two more RBI while going 1-for-2 at the plate with a double, her tenth of the season.
 
The Rundown: Elon opened the scoring in the bottom of the first as Hannah Olson drew a leadoff walk and advanced to second on a grounder. Another walk gave the Phoenix runners at first and second before Roper's RBI single to center field plated the first run of the game for the maroon and gold. A Niagara wild pitch led to another runner crossing home plate and the Phoenix taking a 2-0 lead after the first.
 
Another miscue by the Purple Eagles aided the Phoenix adding four more runs in the bottom of the second. Jenna Reilly drew another leadoff walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Olson followed with another free pass and the pair advanced on a single by Alaina Hall to center. The defender however misplayed the ball in the field and Reilly advanced from third to make the score 3-0. A bases clearing two RBI double from Shutt increased Elon's lead to 5-0 before Shutt herself plated the fourth run of the frame on another RBI single from Roper to make it 6-0.
 
The Phoenix again took advantage of two errors by Niagara to add another run in the bottom of the fourth. A fielding error on the catcher led to Roper, who was walked earlier in the inning, to score from third to make the score 7-0.
 
The Phoenix added its final run in the bottom of the sixth as senior Emily Cameron beat out a two-out infield single to plate Roper for her second run of the game. The run sealed the Phoenix's 8-0 run-rule victory and Barker's perfect game.
 
Inside the Box Score: Olson drew three walks in the contest, a Phoenix single-game high this season…Reilly had a triple in the third inning, the sixth Phoenix player to record a three-bagger this season…Carey Million also had a double in the contest her sixth of the year…Elon left eight runners on base.
 
Notes of Interest: The last time a Phoenix pitcher had a no hitter was April 7, 2011 when Erin O'Shea and Lauren Taylor both blanked North Carolina Central in a doubleheader with O'Shea earning the 8-0 game one victory and Taylor winning 20-0 in game two…Shutt now has 24 career doubles at Elon and is only four away from tying her single-season total from all of last season…Cameron had her first hit and RBI of the season in the sixth inning.
 
On Deck
Elon is back on the diamond tomorrow, March 12, for day two of the Elon Softball Tournament. The Phoenix begins play at 12:15 p.m. with a contest against Oakland before a rematch against the Purple Eagles at 2:30 p.m.