ELON, N.C. – The Elon University softball team is set for its first road game of the season as the Phoenix travels to nationally-ranked Duke on Wednesday, Feb. 23, for a midweek contest. The matchup between the in-state foes is slated to begin at 4:30 p.m. at Duke Softball Stadium.
 
Follow the Phoenix
• Live stats will be available for the game by going to the team's schedule page at elonphoenix.com.
• Updates will also be posted on Twitter at the team's account @ElonSoftball.
• Wednesday's game will stream live on the ACC Network Extra on Watch ESPN or the ESPN app.
 
Series Breakdown
• Going into Wednesday, the Phoenix and the Blue Devils have faced each other four times on the softball diamond since Duke's inaugural season in 2018.
• The Blue Devils hold a 3-1 advantage over the Phoenix and have won the past two meetings including last year's 3-0 result at Elon.
• Elon's lone victory in the series came in 2019 as the Phoenix earned a 5-4 win over the Blue Devils in Hunt Softball Park as Keagan Goldwait provided the walk-off hit for the maroon and gold.
 
Last Time Out
• Elon hosted its second tournament of the season, the Phoenix Invitational, this past weekend, Feb. 18-20. The maroon and gold welcomed the field of Providence, UMass-Lowell and Morgan State to Hunt Softball Park.
• The Phoenix went 3-2 overall at the tournament, splitting its doubleheader contests versus Providence and UMass-Lowell before earning a 2-0 win over Morgan State in its finale on Sunday, Feb. 20.
 
Triple Threat
• Junior Megan Grant tied an NCAA Division I record last Friday, versus Providence as the Vinton, Va.., native recorded three triples against the Friars. She became the first player to register a three-triple game since 2019.
• Grant achieved the feat in her first three at bats against the Friars. Prior to that game, Grant had recorded two triples in her career.
 
Weber Tabbed CAA Pitcher of the Week
• Redshirt senior McKenzie Weber was selected as the Colonial Athletic Association Pitcher of the Week on Tuesday, Feb. 22, for her performance last week.
• The Overland Park, Kan., native improved to 2-0 on the season after earning a complete-game shutout win over Morgan State on Sunday. Weber scattered five hits in her seven innings of action while striking out two batters.
• Weber also pitched a scoreless inning in relief versus Providence last Friday. She becomes the first Elon pitcher to receive CAA Pitcher of the Week accolades since Kenna Quinn in 2020.
 
Around the Horn
• Duke is the second of three opponents from the ACC that Elon will face on its 2022 schedule. The Phoenix played North Carolina last Wednesday earning a 4-3 victory over the Tar Heels and will host NC State later this year on March 2. Since taking over the helm of the softball program in 2012, Elon head coach Kathy Bocock is 13-29 versus ACC schools.
• With her performance against Providence last week, Grant is now third in the nation in triples. She is also eighth in triples per game at 0.33. As a team, Elon 16^th in triples.
• The Phoenix is converting 0.67 double plays per game, which ranks 11^th overall in the country.
• At the plate, Rebecca Murray leads the Phoenix with her .417 average, which is sixth in the CAA. Murray has also been stealing bases at a high rate, with her seven swiped bags best in the league.
• Elon sits third in the CAA in ERA at 2.56 while ranking second in the league with 52 strikeouts. The Phoenix also has three players in the top-10 of the CAA in ERA in Weber (0.00), Isley Duggins (2.05) and Taylor Cherry (2.67).
• Kathy Bocock is in her 11^th season at the helm of the Elon softball program. She has amassed 488 career victories with 240 of those coming at Elon.
 
Scouting No. 14 Duke
• The Blue Devils are 8-2 on the season after going 4-1 at the T-Mobile tournament in Gainesville, Fla., last weekend. Heading into Wednesday, Duke is currently ranked No. 14 in the USA Today/NFCA Top 25 Coaches Poll.
• Duke is hitting .332 offensively and ranks second in the country in home runs per game at 2.20 per game. Ana Gold is hitting a team-best .444 average with 14 runs scored while Jameson Kavel and Kristina Foreman both lead the Blue Devils with four home runs.
• In the circle, Duke has relied primarily on four arms this season as the team has posted a cumulative ERA of 2.37. Graduate student Peyton St. George and senior Shelby Walters are tied for the team-high in innings pitched at 18.2 and appearances in six.
 
On Deck
The Phoenix hosts St. Bonaventure in a three-game set this weekend, Feb. 26-27, at Hunt Softball Park.