ELON, N.C. – Elon University baseball could not quiet the University of Toledo's bats as the Phoenix (4-5) dropped the series opener 13-6 on Friday, March 4 at Latham Park.

ON THE MOUND
Trevor Kirk drops to 0-2 after allowing eight runs on 10 hits and one walk. The Wake Forest, N.C. native struck out four in a 4.1-inning start. Liam Dabagian then took over with 2.2 innings of relief. He was tagged for two runs on three hits and a walk and recorded one strikeout. Sean O'Connell and Jake Nolan also came out of the pen, throwing one complete inning each.

AT THE PLATE
Bryce Jeske singled and drove in two runs in his only at bat as a pinch hitter in the ninth. Charlie Granatell went 2-for-2 with a double, a run scored and a stolen base while Alex Iadisernia contributed a 2-for-4 outing with a double, one run, one RBI and a base on balls. Will Vergantino tripled and came around once in a 1-for-2 outing. Samuel Frontino, Luke Stephenson, Willie Havens and Carlos Marte all finished 1-for-4 for Elon's other hits in the ball game. 

THE RUNDOWN
The Rockets (5-4) got off to a quick 1-0 start in the first as a two-out hit to left scored a runner from second. The visitors then pushed their lead to 4-0 with another three runs in the third. After Parker Haskin threw out a runner trying to steal and Kirk struck out a batter, Toledo quickly placed runners on the corners. Mason Sykes, the Mid-American Conference's (MAC) Co-Player of the Week, then sent a 1-2 pitch down the right-field line for a three-run home run.

Elon finally got on the board in the home half of the third. With two outs, Frontino struck out but reached first on a wild pitch. He then crossed the plate as Iadisernia doubled to center field. Unfortunately, Toledo kept its foot on the gas with a five-run top of the fifth. A ground out to second with runners in scoring position gave the Rockets a 5-1 lead before Sykes homered for the second time. His two-run blast to left made it 7-1. Later in the inning, another runner scored on a wild pitch and a double down the left-field line brought in a run to make it 9-1.

In the sixth, Iadisernia scored from second on a Havens single through the left side. Toledo responded in the seventh with an RBI double to the gap in left, but Elon answered in the bottom of the frame. Vergantino entered as a pinch hitter and sent the first pitch he saw to right field for a stand up triple. Frontino then brought him home with a hit to left center, trimming the Toledo lead to 10-3. However, the Rockets erupted for three more runs in the eighth thanks to an Elon throwing error, a sacrifice fly and a double down the left-field line.

Granatell singled to right in his first at bat in the eighth. The Franklin Lakes, N.J. product swiped second before Alex Duffey drew a four-pitch walk. Marte then singled up the middle, allowing Granatell to come around and cut the deficit to 13-4. Elon showed some life with another two runs in the bottom of the ninth. Connor Offshack and Iadisernia drew back-to-back walks and Griffin Arnone reached on a fielder's choice to put runners on the corners. Arnone then stole second before Jeske found a hole through the left side of the Toledo defense to plate Offshack and Arnone. Granatell followed with a double down the left-field line, but Toledo got Duffey to miss on an 0-2 pitch to close out the game.

NOTES
- This was the first ever meeting between the two programs.
- Elon entered today's game with a 15-9 all-time record against current MAC schools. Elon has played Akron, Ball State, Bowling Green, Kent State and Ohio in previous seasons.
- This was the first appearance of the season for O'Connell.
- Toledo outhit the Phoenix, 15-10 with six extra-base hits (four doubles and two home runs).
- The maroon and gold hit .246 (10-for-39) in the game. Elon also batted .353 (6-for-17) with two outs, .316 (6-for-19) with runners on and .250 (4-for-16) with runners in scoring position.
- Elon scored five of its six runs between the sixth and ninth innings.
- Elon's arms combined to throw 97-of-155 (62.6 percent) pitches for strikes. Toledo threw 99-of-160 (61.9 percent) for strikes.
- Neither side turned a double play in the game. The Phoenix came into today ranked 16th in the nation in double plays and 19th in double plays per game.

UP NEXT
The teams return tomorrow for a 2 pm. start to Game Two.