ELON, N.C. – Danny Lynch's home run to lead off the bottom of the eighth inning proved to be the difference as the Elon University baseball team claimed a 5-3 victory over The Citadel Bulldogs in game two of a three-game series at Latham Park on Saturday, March 12.

Lynch finished the day 2-for-3 with a run scored and two RBI to pace Elon (7-8). Tyler McVicar added two hits and drove in a run.

Bret Hines recorded three of The Citadel's (7-7) eight hits, including a pair of doubles.

Ryan Conroy (1-1) picked up the first win of his career as he threw 1.2 scoreless innings in relief. Chris Hall struck out one in a scoreless ninth to earn his fourth save of the season. Elon starter Jordan Barrett took a no-decision after allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits in 6.1 innings. Barrett fanned a career-best seven Bulldog hitters.

The loss went to Jordan Buster (0-1) who gave up two runs on two hits in 2.1 innings out of the bullpen.

How It Happened: In a 3-3 game, Lynch drilled a 2-1 pitch deep over the wall in right field for his third home run of the year to start the last of the eighth. McVicar followed with a single before a sacrifice bunt got him in scoring position. Pinch-hitter Ryne Ogren sent a 3-1 pitch back up the middle to score pinch-runner Liam O'Regan with an insurance run.

Elon was the first to get on the board, scoring three times in the fifth. With runners on first and second with two outs, Kyle Jackson extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a single to left to score the game's first run. Lynch and McVicar then followed with RBI singles to make it 3-0.

With Elon up 3-1 in the seventh, a walk and double off the top of the wall in left put two Bulldog runners aboard. Steven Hansen then singled home one run before a William Kinney ground out tied the game at three.

Quotable: "We threw our breaking stuff for strikes early in the game. What a difference it makes. He (Barrett) just commanded the ball. We had the right guy out there. He threw very, very well. They made a run at us and they kept some pressure on us. I thought we responded well. That was a big knock by Danny." – Elon head coach Mike Kennedy

Notes: Barrett threw 71.3 percent of his 108 pitches for strikes... In the first inning, Nick Zammarelli roped his 10th double of the season... The Phoenix turned two double plays in the game and has now turned six in its last three outings.

On Deck: Elon and The Citadel will conclude the series with a 12 p.m. game on Sunday, March 13.