MT. PLEASANT, S.C. – Elon University baseball built a 5-0 lead but could not hold off College of Charleston down the stretch as the Phoenix (20-20, 9-8 CAA) fell 7-6 on Friday night, May 21 at Patriots Point.

ON THE MOUND
Joe Sprake (6-1) took the loss after giving up two runs on two hits and three walks. Joe Savino held the Cougars (24-22, 12-11) scoreless in a 5.1-inning start. He scattered four hits and issued one walk while striking out five. Jared Wetherbee and Will Gambino were both tagged for two runs as each tossed 0.2 innings in relief, and Trevor Kirk was responsible for the other run in 1.0 inning out of the pen.

AT THE PLATE
All nine Elon starters collected a hit in the loss. Anthony Galason continued his hot bat as he finished 3-for-5, scored once and drove in one run. Adam Spurlin batted 2-for-4 with a triple, two runs and an RBI. Also turning in multi-hit efforts were Justin Cassella and Cole Reynolds both went 2-for-5. Cassella added a run and a stolen base to his totals. Nick Cicci homered and drove in two runs in a 1-for-4 outing.

THE RUNDOWN
Elon opened up the scoring with four runs in the top of the fourth. Galason led off with a hit to right and advanced to second on a Cole Reynolds ground out to short. Cicci then drove a 2-2 pitch over the wall in left to give the maroon and gold the lead, 2-0. Stonehouse singled through the left side and came around on a Spurlin triple to the corner in right field. After Jack Roberts fouled out to first, Cassella reached on a muffed throw by the CofC first baseman. The error allowed Spurlin to cross the plate and extend Elon's lesad to 4-0. The Phoenix then tacked on another run in the sixth. With two outs, Spurlin singled to center and moved up to second on a fielding error. The Ty Ty, Ga. native then scored on another fielding error as Roberts singled to left field.

The Cougars finally broke through in the home half of the sixth. With two outs and runners in scoring position, a hit back up the middle cut the Elon lead to 5-2. The home team then pulled to within 5-4 in the seventh inning as Trotter Harlan drove in two runs with a double to the gap in right. In the eighth, the Cougars pulled even at 5-5 with a bases-loaded walk. A singled through the left side allowed two more runs to come home as CofC took its first lead in the game, 7-5. Cassella started off the ninth with a single to left and Iadisernia worked a full count to put runners on first second. Cassella was waved home on a Galason hit through the left side as Elon made it a one-run game at 7-6, but Reynolds hit into a 4-6-3 double play to end the game.

NOTES
- It was the first loss of the season for Sprake.
- Elon outhit Charleston, 14-11.
- The Phoenix left eight runners on base.
- Cicci was 2-for-2 in throwing out runners trying to steal.
- Elon hit 5-for-21 (.238) with runners on and 3-for-12 (.250) with runners in scoring position.
- Tonight was Galason's fifth consecutive multi-hit game and fourth straight with three or more hits.
- This was the 16th one-run game Elon has played this season. The Phoenix is now 11-5 in games decided by a run.

UP NEXT
The loss sets up a 1 p.m. rubber match tomorrow. The winner will clinch a CAA tournament berth as the second-place team out of the South Division.