LYNCHBURG, Va. – Unable to overcome a fast start by Penn, the Elon University softball team fell in its contest against the Quakers, 9-1, in its second game of the day at the Liberty Softball Classic on Saturday evening, Feb. 29, at the Liberty Softball Stadium.
 
Elon (9-7) split its first day at the tournament after its victory over Fairfield earlier in the day. The Quakers moved to 3-1 on the year in its first-ever contest against the maroon and gold. 
 
At the Plate
Elon had three hits at the plate compared to eight registered by the Quakers. Ally Repko, Bella Devesa and Carley Davis each tallied a base hit for the Phoenix with Davis driving in the lone run of the night for the team. 
 
In the Circle
Katie Hoover fell to 0-2 on the year after the starting the game versus the Quakers. The sophomore pitched a career-high 4.2 innings and gave up eight hits and seven earned runs while striking out two batters.
 
The Rundown
A three-run bottom of the first for Penn put the Phoenix in an early deficit. The Quakers capitalized on a RBI double while also scoring two more runs off Elon errors to take a 3-0 lead.
 
Elon joined the Quakers on the scoreboard in the top of the third. Morgan Reich reached on a fielding error before advancing to second on a single from Devesa. A double steal led to both runners moving into scoring position with no outs before a sacrifice fly to center by Davis plated Reich from third. Another walk drawn by Megan Grant gave the Phoenix the tying runs on base, but a looking strikeout and a fly out ended the Phoenix's momentum.
 
Penn scored six combined runs in the fourth and fifth innings to pull away from the Phoenix to earn the 9-1 win via run-rule.
 
On Deck
The Phoenix concludes the tournament tomorrow, March 1, with two games starting against Yale at 10 a.m. followed by a matchup with host Liberty at 4 p.m.