ELON, N.C. – Down 3-2 to Western Carolina late, Elon University baseball scored twice in the bottom of the eighth inning to secure a 4-3 come-from-behind victory on Wednesday night, April 28 at Latham Park.

"Another gritty performance by our guys," head coach Mike Kennedy after the win. "Very proud of the effort put forth tonight. That's a very good ball club and we hung in there and competed. Proud of the guys that got on the mound tonight. They competed and battled for nine innings. Every one of those guys did what was needed and put us in position to get a win. Heads up base running by Griffin Arnone and great to see Will Gambino close the door!"

ON THE MOUND
Gambino earned the win and improved to 1-0 after tossing 2.1 innings of two-hit ball. He walked one batter and struck out four. Starter Liam Dabagian limited the Catamounts (21-12) to one run on three hits and a walk. He added one strikeout through 2.0 complete innings. Ian Evans gave up two runs on six hits, didn't issue a walk, and finished with two punch outs over 3.2 innings in relief. Noah Jensen also came out of the pen, fanning one of four batters he faced in 1.0 inning pitched. He did not allow a hit and didn't walk anyone.
 
AT THE PLATE
Alex Iadisernia went 2-for-4 on the day, Parker Haskin hit 1-for-1 with a double and a run scored, and Willie Havens turned in a 1-for-2 effort with a two-bagger, a run and a base on balls. Adam Spurlin had the big knock for the Phoenix (14-17) as he tripled and drove in two runs in a 1-for-4 day at the plate. Arnone scored once as a pinch runner, and Garrett Stonehouse walked twice and scored the team's other run.

THE RUNDOWN
WCU opened the scoring in the top of the third. After a hit through the left side and a double to left, a hit batter loaded the bases for the visitors. Evans then entered the game and struck out the first batter he faced. A run would come in on an RBI fielder's choice as Elon couldn't complete the double play, but Evans limited the damage as he induced a fly out to right. The Phoenix jumped ahead 2-1 with a two-run bottom of the fourth. With two outs, Havens was hit by a pitch and Stonehouse walked before Spurlin sent a 3-0 offering to the gap in right. The Ty Ty, Ga. native legged out a triple on the play.

Momentum shifted back to the Catamounts in the top of the sixth. A one-out hit back up the middle and a wild pitch placed a runner in scoring position. The next batter singled to right, but Iadisernia's throw home was in time as Nick Cicci applied the tag. However, WCU's Drew Needham entered as a pinch hitter and sent the first pitch he saw over the wall in center for a two-run homer that put the Catamounts back in front, 3-2. After a scoreless seventh, Haskin doubled off the wall in left with two outs in the home half of the eighth. He then advanced to third on a wild pitch and touched home as the WCU catcher sailed a throw down the left-field line. Havens then drew a walk and was pinch run for by Arnone, who swiped second with a perfectly-timed jump. Stonehouse then reached on a throwing error by the WCU second baseman, which allowed Arnone to come around for the decisive run.

In the ninth, Gambino allowed a leadoff single to left before recording a pair of swinging strikeouts. WCU got another runner on base thanks to a full-count walk, but a 5-3 ground out sealed the win for the maroon and gold. 

NOTES
- The game marked the first career start for Dabagian as he lowered his season ERA from a 12.00 to a 9.00.
- The win marks Gambino's first as a Phoenix.
- WCU entered the game ranked third in the country in on-base percentage (.429), fourth in scoring (8.8 runs per game), seventh in hit by pitch (67), eighth in batting average (.307), 13th in doubles per game (2.22) and 19th in runs scored (280). The Catamounts were unable to convert though as the team hit just 1-for-14 (.071) with runners in scoring position.
- Elon extends its lead in the all-time series to 51-30 and has now won three straight against WCU.
- Elon pitchers held the Catamounts to three runs, just the fourth time this season WCU has scored three runs or less in a nine-inning game.
- The Phoenix arms threw 98-of-157 (.624) pitches for strikes.
- Iadisernia now has 16 multi-hit games and extended his reached-base streak to 17 games, while Anthony Galason's reached-base streak ends at 21 games.
 
UP NEXT
Elon is home this weekend as the Phoenix wraps up its seven-game homestand with a CAA series versus South Division rival Charleston.