ELON, N.C. – UMass Lowell looked to rally from a 5-0 deficit, but Elon University baseball held on 5-4 and secured the series sweep on Sunday afternoon, Feb. 23 at Latham Park.

"I thought we pitched pretty well for the most part all weekend," said head coach Mike Kennedy after the win. "You've got to credit those guys, they did a pretty good job of getting the barrel to the ball. But we had some chances early, a couple of bad at bats that may have helped get away from them. We ended up scoring a couple of runs, but it could've been bases loaded with no outs. We had a couple big two-out knocks to score, but didn't have a hit after that. We had the bases loaded in the sixth and they go to the pen with a lefty. We have a lefty at bat match-up and we're pulling balls to the dugout. They get a run and they're hanging around and we can't quite get away from them. To their credit, they hung in there and competed with them. I thought they played hard and they put a lot of pressure on us."
 
AT THE PLATE
Anthony Galason batted 2-for-3, scored twice, drove in a run and walked. Jack Roberts went 2-for-4, had two RBIs, and added a stolen base. Matt Oldham finished 1-for-3, and Alex Iadisernia had Elon's other hit with a 1-for-4 outing.

ON THE MOUND
Dean McCarthy improved to 2-0 after holding the River Hawks (3-4) to two runs on seven hits and a walk. The senior from White Plains, N.Y. struck out seven over a 5.0 inning start. Joe Sprake earned his second save in as many days. He gave up one hit and a walk with one punch out. Trevor Kirk, Brian Edgington, and Sean O'Connell also came out of the pen.

THE RUNDOWN
The Phoenix (6-1) got going with two runs in the second inning. Galason drew a four-pitch walk and took second on a wild pitch. Oldham then walked and Nick Cicci laid down the sacrifice bunt to move the pair into scoring position. Roberts then opened the scoring with a hit to the gap in right. Elon tacked on three more runs in the third. With runners on the corners, J.P. Sponseller hit the first pitch he saw deep enough to left and Tyler Stanler tagged up on the sacrifice fly. After Iadisernia stole second, Galason sent a 1-1 pitch back up the middle for the 4-0 lead. The Colts Neck, N.J. native advanced to second as the River Hawks threw home on the play. Oldham then followed suit with another single up the middle, plating Galason.

UML finally came up with an answer in the top half of the fourth. After a one-out double down the right-field line, the next batter singled to left to put the River Hawks on the board. The guests added another run in the fifth thanks to a sac fly to right with the bases loaded. Elon prevented any further damage though as Roberts fielded a weak grounder and fired to Sponseller at first for out number three.

The River Hawks made some noise in the eighth with two more runs on three hits. With runners on the corners, Edgington was able to pick off the runner napping at first. However, the next batter walked and a single to left trimmed the Elon lead to 5-3. O'Connell took the ball from Edgington and induced a fly out to left, but the UML runner took third base on the play. A hit up the middle then scored another run as the Phoenix lead narrowed to 5-4.

Sprake entered the game at that point and got out of the inning with a fly ball that Stanley tracked down in center. In the ninth, he was able to get two quick outs before a UML double placed the tying run in scoring position. Elon elected to intentionally walk the next batter to put two on. It proved to be the right choice as Sprake rung up the hitter on a called third strike to end the end.

NOTES
-Elon improves to 6-0 at home.
-The team picked up its second sweep in as many weeks.
-All five runs were scored against the UML starter.
-Elon's 6-1 start to the 2020 campaign is its best mark since the 2014 season.
-Oldham and Stonehouse have reached safely in all seven games and Galason recorded his fourth multi-hit game.

UP NEXT
Elon has another tough challenge this week as the Phoenix hosts the No. 16 East Carolina Pirates (6-1) this Tuesday, Feb. 25. First pitch from Latham Park is set for 4 p.m.