ELON, N.C. – The Elon University softball team recorded a pair of wins on the second day of its home tournament, the Elon Softball Classic, defeating IUPUI, 4-2, before holding on for a 3-2 victory over Saint Francis (Pa.) in its nightcap on Saturday, Feb. 12, at Hunt Softball Park.
 
The victories improved the Phoenix's ledger to 3-0 to start the season 2022 season.
 
Game One: Elon 4, IUPUI 2
In a rematch of Elon's opening day win yesterday against the Jaguars, the Phoenix plated two runs to open the game in the bottom of the first. Megan White drove in a run on her sacrifice fly while an IUPUI error allowed Rebecca Murray to score a run from third as the maroon and gold took a 2-0 lead.
 
Another Jaguar error helped the Phoenix plate another run in the home half of the second to move its advantage to 3-0. Chloe Hatzopoulos reached on an infield single and advanced all the way to third after a wild pitch got away from the catcher. A miscue by IUPUI enabled Hatzopoulos to score from third as Elon strengthen its lead.
 
Both teams traded runs in the fourth frame as IUPUI's Kendal Calvert drove in a two-out single up the middle to trim Elon's deficit to two, 3-1 in the top half of the inning. The Phoenix got the run back in the home half of the inning as a sacrifice fly to center from Gabi Schaal scored Hatzopoulos for a second time and put Elon's lead back up to three, 4-1.
 
Elon managed only one hit for the remainder of the game after that point as IUPUI continued to stay within reach and again cut into its deficit in the top of the seventh. Rachael Gregory drove in a run on a one-out single to left that made the score 4-2 before she was joined on the bases by the tying run after a walk to Jordan Barnes on the next at bat. Both runners advanced into scoring position after a passed ball, but the Phoenix was able to induce the next two outs to secure the win.
 
McKenzie Weber (1-0) earned the win in relief after pitching 5.0 innings with four hits and two runs allowed, but none earned. She also struck out three batters.
 
Game Two: Elon 3, Saint Francis (Pa.) 2
In Elon's nightcap, the Phoenix had to rally against the Red Flash, a team that went 40-10 last season and earned a trip to the NCAA Tournament. The contest also featured great individual pitching performances as Elon's freshman Taylor Cherry was matched up against Saint Francis' ace Grace Vesco.
 
After the first inning in which both teams combined to leave five base runners stranded, the Red Flash answered first on the scoreboard in the top of the second. Rachel Marsden took a leadoff 1-2 pitch down the left field line for a solo home run that gave Saint Francis the 1-0 lead.
 
It looked like that would be all that Vesco needed as the junior held the Phoenix without a hit going into the fifth inning. Elon had two more runners reach base in the bottom of the second on walks, but could not bring them around as Vesco kept the shutout intact for the Red Flash.
 
The Elon offense would awaken in the bottom of the fifth. Megan Grant earned a one-out free pass on four straight pitches with Schaal coming to the plate. The sophomore broke up Vesco's no-hitter and shutout in one swing on a two-run home run over the wall in left field, putting the Phoenix ahead 2-1. Elon kept the momentum going as Murray reached base on a single and stole second to move into scoring territory. Murray would eventually cross home plate on Keagan Goldwait's two-out, bloop single to center, putting the maroon and gold ahead 3-1.
 
Saint Francis however cut into the Phoenix's lead in the top of the seventh thanks to a Phoenix error which trimmed Elon's lead down to one, 3-2, with the tying run at second and Marsden coming back to the plate with two outs. Cherry was able to stymie the batter into a looking strikeout as the Phoenix held on for the win.
 
Cherry (1-0) pitched a gem to earn her first collegiate win, going the distance with nine hits and two runs allowed, but only one earned. She also struck out eight batters compared to just two walks to outduel Vesco, who allowed three hits in 6.0 innings of work with six strikeouts, but walked nine Phoenix batters.
 
On Deck
Elon returns to the diamond for the final day of the tournament, facing intrastate rival Appalachian State at 2:30 p.m. tomorrow, Feb. 13.