ELON, N.C. – The Elon University softball team recorded its sixth shutout of the season as the Phoenix earned a 7-0 win over North Carolina Central on Tuesday evening, March 22, at Hunt Softball Park.
 
The Phoenix improved to 16-12 on the season in its final tune-up before the start of Colonial Athletic Association play this Saturday, March 26. N.C. Central fell to 5-16 on the year while also moving to 0-16 in the all-time series versus Elon.
 
At the Plate
• The Phoenix had 10 hits against the Eagles, its fifth game of the year with double-digit hits. Gabi Schaal went 3-for-4 at the plate with three RBI and a pair of doubles while Keagan Goldwait was 2-for-3 with two RBI and a double.
• Rebecca Murray also added a double for the Phoenix while Megan Grant drew three walks.
 
In the Circle
• Five Elon pitchers combined for the Phoenix's first one-hitter since 2019. Katie Hoover (1-0) received the win in the circle after pitching 2.0 scoreless frames in relief with a strikeout.
• Starter McKenna McCard allowed no hits and struck out four batters in her 2.0 innings of work to start the game. Alexa Nemeth, Kaitlin King and Isley Duggins pitched the remaining three innings for the Phoenix.
 
The Rundown
• After a pair of scoreless innings to start the game, Elon found its groove offensively in the bottom of the third frame. The Phoenix began a rally with two outs starting with Grant reaching on a walk and back-to-back RBI doubles from Schaal and Goldwait giving the Phoenix two runs on the board. An RBI single from Carley Davis upped the score to a 3-0 advantage for the Phoenix.
• Elon began another two-out rally in the home half of the fourth. Murray doubled to left field to score Raelyn McGarry, who reached earlier in the inning on a single to left. After Grant drew another walk, Schaal added her second double of the game, driving in Murray and Grant to put Elon ahead 6-0. The Phoenix added its final tally of the evening on an RBI single up the middle from Goldwait to take a 7-0 lead after the fourth.
• The Phoenix allowed only one base runner to reach from the fourth inning on as the Phoenix pitching staff kept the Eagles' offense at bay to cruise to the 7-0 victory.
 
Notables
• The win was the 497^th for Phoenix head coach Kathy Bocock in her career and the 260^th overall at Elon.
• Schaal has driven in 30 RBI on the season for the Phoenix, which leads the CAA. The Lakeland, Fla., native also recorded her fifth multi-hit game of the season and her team-best third three-hit performance so far in 2022.
• Grant's three walks tied a single-game best this season for the junior. She also increased her CAA-best total to 17 walks overall on the year.
• Elon stole two bases in the game and has a swiped bag in four straight outings.
 
On Deck
The Phoenix begins CAA play this weekend, March 26-27, hosting Hofstra on its home diamond at Hunt Softball Park. The three-game series begins with a doubleheader on Saturday at 1 p.m.