ELON, N.C. – Playing a day earlier than originally scheduled, the Elon University softball team treks to East Carolina for an early-week twin bill on Tuesday, March 15. The first game of the doubleheader is scheduled for 2 p.m. followed by the nightcap at 4 p.m.
 
Both teams were originally scheduled to play on Wednesday, March 16, but the games were moved a day earlier due to expected rain in the forecast.
 
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.
• Both games will be streamed through East Carolina's athletic website at ecupirates.com free of charge.
 
Series Breakdown
• Heading into Tuesday, both teams have met 24 times on the softball diamond in a series dating back to 1998 in Elon's fastpitch era. The Pirates hold a 16-7-1 advantage over the Phoenix all-time.
• Both teams recently met earlier this season as the Phoenix hosted the Pirates at its home tournament, the Cardinal Invite, on March 6. Elon earned a 1-0 victory over ECU with freshman pitcher Taylor Cherry tossing the third perfect game in school history. The win gave Elon three straight in the series over its in-state rival.
• Tuesday will be the first time that Elon will travel to ECU for the first time since 2017. In that game, Elon came away with a 10-9 win over the Pirates.
 
LAST TIME OUT
• Elon last played at the UNCG Spartan Classic this past weekend, March 11-13. The Phoenix had early-season rematches versus Michigan State and Saint Francis (Pa.) while also facing Delaware State in the field.
• The Phoenix was competitive in each game at the tournament, but ultimately suffered one-run losses in each of its games. Elon fell to Michigan State, 1-0 in its opener on Saturday before falling to Saint Francis, 3-2, in the first game of its doubleheader on Sunday. The maroon and gold concluded the weekend with a 4-3 setback against Delaware State despite a rally in the seventh inning.
• Elon's pitching staff held up well at the tournament, posting a 2.58 ERA as a group while striking out 18 batters compared to seven walks.
 
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
• Tuesday's games will be only the second and third time that Elon will play a true road game this season. Through its 22 games so far, Elon has only played four games away from the home confines of Hunt Softball Park this season including its three neutral games at UNCG last weekend.
• Elon's lone true road contest this season came on Feb. 23 at No. 14 Duke where the Phoenix fell to the Blue Devils 5-4.
• The Phoenix's lone other nonconference road trip will be next Sunday, March 20, when Elon heads to UNCG.
 
AROUND THE HORN
• Elon is hitting .236 overall going into Tuesday's matchup with two players – senior Rebecca Murray (.371) and junior Megan Grant (.302) – being the only players hitting .300 or better.
• Elon is tied for the Colonial Athletic Association lead in triples with seven with five of those coming from Grant, who was tied for the national lead in that category.
• The Phoenix ranks third overall in the CAA in runs scored (82), hits (123), RBI (68) and tied in home runs (11).
• Gabi Schaal has been the main run producer for Elon with her team-high 22 RBI, which is second in the CAA. She also ranks in the top four in the league in home runs with four.
• McKenzie Weber leads the CAA in ERA at 0.66 in her 31.2 innings of action this season. As a team, the Phoenix has an ERA of 2.69, which would be its lowest since 2017.
• Cherry is third in the CAA in total strikeouts with 48 and leads the Phoenix in innings pitched with 43.0. Another rookie, Isley Duggins, is holding batters to a league-low .189 batting average and struck out a season-best seven batters versus Delaware State.
• Kathy Bocock is in her 11th season at the helm of the Elon softball program. She has amassed 494 career victories with 257 of those coming at Elon.
 
SCOUTING EAST CAROLINA
• The Pirates currently have an 11-10 overall record heading into its Monday contest versus Rider prior to facing the Phoenix. ECU recently is coming off going 3-0 at its home tournament, the Purple-Gold Invitational, defeating the field of Rider, Bryant and Morehead State.
• Offensively, ECU is hitting .296 as a team with five regulars in its lineup batting .300 or better. Junior Faith Jarvis carries a team-high .406 average along with 28 hits and 16 runs scored. Sophomore Sydney Yoder has driven in a team-best 18 RBI while hitting .340, second-best on the team.
• In the circle, the Pirates have posted a cumulative ERA of 3.89 with five players seeing time toeing the rubber. Sophomore Madisyn Davis has pitched a team-high 36.1 innings and has a 2.50 ERA with a 3-1 record. She also leads the Pirates with 31 strikeouts.
 
ON DECK
The Phoenix faces UNCG in a three-game set March 19-20. Elon hosts the Spartans in a doubleheader on Saturday starting at 1 p.m. followed by the series finale on Sunday in Greensboro, N.C., at 1 p.m.