ELON, N.C. – The Elon University softball team opened Colonial Athletic Association play with a doubleheader sweep of Drexel on Saturday, March 26, at Hunt Softball Park. The Phoenix took game one, 8-4, before holding off the Dragons in game two, 15-7, in six innings.
The Phoenix improved to 16-14 overall in the twin bill sweep and a 2-0 mark on the young CAA season. The Dragons slipped to 14-12 and 0-2 in league play in the conference opener for both teams. The victories also snapped Elon's two-game losing streak.
Game One: Elon 8, Drexel 4 The Rundown: The Dragons struck first in the top of the opening inning. A one-out double down the right field line for Drexel plated its first run of the contest and threatened after the batter also advanced to third on an error. The Phoenix converted a double play on the next at-bat to escape the jam.
An
Emily Cameron two-RBI single to center field in the bottom of the first opened the scoring for Elon as the Phoenix took a 2-1 lead. The Phoenix added another run in the bottom half of the second thanks to a RBI double to right center by
Callie Horn that scored
Kristin Hoover, who reached earlier on a single. Drexel battled back to tie the game in the top of the fifth. After a one-out single and a walk, a Phoenix passed ball moved the runners into scoring position before a RBI single brought the Dragons within one. A bases loaded walk knotted the contest at 3-3 before a ground out ended the frame.
The Phoenix scored five runs in the home half of the fifth to break the game open. Hoover added two scores on a one-out, two-RBI base hit to third. Horn drove in three more runs on her second double of the afternoon that gave the Phoenix an 8-3 advantage. Drexel got a run back in the sixth with two outs, but Elon retired its final four batters to end the game with an 8-4 victory.
At the Plate: Horn and Hoover both had two hits each to lead the Phoenix who finished with eight overall in the contest…Horn had a season-high four RBI in the contest to go with her two doubles while Hoover scored two runs…Cameron also had two RBI in the contest while going 1-for-2.
In the Circle: Abby Barker (5-5) received the win in relief for the Phoenix after she threw 2.2 innings with four hits and one run allowed…Starter
Elise Walton went 4.1 innings with four hits given up along with three runs…Walton also had three strikeouts…Elon overall had 10 walks allowed to the Dragons.
Game Two: Elon 15, Drexel 7 (6) The Rundown: The Phoenix bats were alive early to start game two. Elon opened with four runs in the bottom half of the first as the maroon and gold quickly loaded the bases with its first three batters.
Emily Roper opened the scoring on an RBI single to left field before and fielding error brought in two more runs.
Carey Million's RBI single through he left side added to the scoreboard as the Phoenix took a early 4-0 advantage.A solo home run in the second by
Kara Shutt increased Elon's lead to 5-0 before the Phoenix added four more runs in the home half of the third. After
Erica Serafini and Horn reached on one-out singles, Cameron crushed a three-run shot over the left field fence to make the score 7-0.
Hannah Olson's RBI single to second added another score and an 9-0 cushion. Drexel added its first run of the game in the top of the fourth on an RBI single, but Elon responded with two more runs in the bottom half. A fielding error helped Hoover, who reached earlier on a walk, score before Elon improved its advantage to 11-1 on an Serafini steal of home.
The Dragons did not go away quietly as Drexel plated six in the top of the fifth that trimmed the Phoenix's lead to only 11-7. A sacrifice fly by Olson in the bottom of the fifth added a run back for Elon to put the score at 12-7.
Elon closed out the game with three runs in the sixth as the Phoenix earned the 15-7 run-rule victory.
At the Plate: Elon had 17 hits in the contest, which is a new single-game high this season…Shutt went 4-for-4 in the contest and was a double shy of reaching the cycle…Olson was 3-for-4 with a new career-high three RBI…Cameron also had three RBI and her first home run of the season…Shutt hustled for her fourth triple of the year in the fifth.
In the Circle: Starter
Kiandra Mitchum (2-3) took the win for the Phoenix as the Hanover, Va., native went 4.2 innings with six runs allowed off 12 hits…She also fanned three batters…Walton tossed 1.1 innings in relief and gave up two hits and a run with two strikeouts.
On Deck: The Phoenix and the Dragons close out the series tomorrow, March 27, with a single-game at 1 p.m.
-- ELON --
