ELON, N.C. – Elon University baseball scored two runs in the eighth inning to take a 5-4 lead, but the Phoenix (11-8) could not hold off Army as the visitors claimed the series finale 6-5 on Sunday, March 20 at Latham Park.

ON THE MOUND
Kyle Greenler (3-1) was charged with the loss after allowing two unearned runs on one hit and three walks. He struck out one batter in one inning of relief. Starter Cole Reynolds finished with three strikeouts through five complete innings and was responsible for three runs on six hits. Sam DiLella pitched one inning and gave up one run on two hits with a punch out, and Shea Sprague also recorded one strikeout in two scoreless innings of work.

AT THE PLATE
Charlie Granatell, Luke Stephenson and Justin Cassella all homered. Stephenson went 2-for-4 and drove in two runs, Cassella also hit 2-for-4 and Granatell had a 1-for-4 outing with two runs scored. Connor Coolahan contributed a double and a run in a 1-for-3 performance and Alex Iadisernia drove in one run as he batted 1-for-4 on the day.

THE RUNDOWN
Elon opened up the scoring in the first on a pair of RBI ground outs. Granatell struck out, but reached first on a wild pitch and moved up to third on a Coolahan double to left. Granatell then came around on an Iadisernia ground ball to second and Stephenson brought home Coolahan on a ground ball to third. Army looked like it might answer in the third with one out and runners on the corners, but Elon was able to get the lead runner out at home, 3-2-5-1-4-3 and induced a pop up to second to get out of the inning. The Phoenix then pushed its lead to 3-0 as Cassella led off the fourth with a deep fly to left.

The Black Knights (4-13) finally got on the board with a leadoff homer in the fifth. Army then pulled ahead 4-3 on a three-run blast in the top of the sixth. Elon was able to respond in the home half of the eighth as Granatell and Stephenson both went deep, but Army applied the pressure in the top of the ninth. With two outs and runners on first and second, a double to the gap in left gave the guests a 6-5 advantage. The Black Knights loaded the bases thanks to back-to-back walks, but Elon got the force out at second to prevent any further damage.

Cassella started off the bottom of the ninth with a single through the left side, then reached second on an Alex Duffey sacrifice bunt. Will Vergantino then hit a ground ball to third and it looked like the Army first baseman failed to apply the tag, but Vergantino was ruled out and Cassella moved to third on the throw. Elon was unable to plate Cassella, though as Carlos Marte went down swinging.

NOTES
- This was Elon's sixth multi-home run game of the season and the second of the series. The Phoenix also hit three long balls on Friday.
- Greenler still has not given up an earned run in 17.0 innings and 10 appearances.
- Stephenson now owns a six-game hit streak and Iadisernia is right behind him at five games. Cassella has also reached safely in nine consecutive games.
- Elon hit .273 in the series with a .523 slugging percentage and a .356 on-base percentage. Also, 10 of the team's 24 hits were for extra bases.
- Elon's pitchers combined for a 2.33 ERA through the three games, compared to a 5.76 ERA for Army's arms.
- The Phoenix outscored the Black Knights 18-10 this weekend.
- Elon is now 2-2 in one-run games this season.
- The maroon and gold came into the weekend with a 4.10 ERA and lowered it to 3.84.

UP NEXT
Elon heads to Greenville, N.C. this Wednesday, March 23 for a 6:30 p.m. game at East Carolina.