GREENSBORO, N.C. – In a tightly-contested pitcher's duel, a solo home run in the bottom of the fifth inning by Michigan State was the difference as the Elon University softball team fell to the Spartans, 1-0, in its opening game at the UNCG Spartan Classic on Friday, March 11, at the UNCG Softball Stadium.
 
Elon (13-7) fell to Michigan State (14-10) in its third matchup of the season versus the Spartans with MSU taking the de facto rubber match of the series.
 
In the Circle
• Freshman Taylor Cherry took the loss to fall to 3-3 overall on the year. The Suffolk, Va., native had the one mistake in the fifth inning on the solo home run, but allowed four hits and one run in her 5.1 innings pitched. She also struck out five batters in the contest.
• McKenzie Weber pitched two-thirds of an inning in relief, allowing one hit, but no runs to finish out the sixth for Cherry.
 
At the Plate
• Elon was held to one hit by Michigan State's ace Ashley Miller, which came from the bat of Megan Grant. The Phoenix did have several runners reach via Miller's two walks and a pair of errors on the Spartans, but ultimately left five runners stranded.
 
The Rundown
• Elon had its best chance to plate the first run of the game in the top of the fourth. Gabi Schaal led off on a walk before an error allowed Rebecca Murray to join her on the bases. After a sacrifice bunt from Megan White moved both runners into scoring position, the Spartans induced the next two outs on a fielder's choice and a strikeout to leave the pair stranded.
• Michigan State provided the lone run of the contest in its half of the fifth. Zaquai Dumas took an 0-1 pitch from Cherry with one out over the wall in left field to break the scoring stalemate and give the Spartans a 1-0 lead.
• The Phoenix got the tying run in scoring position in the top half of the seventh. Keagan Goldwait reached on an error and was replaced on the bases by Allie Eith. A sacrifice bunt from Carley Davis moved Eith to second, but Miller retired the next two Elon batters on a strikeout and a grounder to close out the game with the 1-0 win.
 
On Deck
Elon is back in action tomorrow, March 12, for the second day of the tournament facing Saint Francis (Pa.). That game is slated for a 2:15 p.m. start time.