Elon, N.C. – The Elon University baseball team split a doubleheader with UNC Asheville Saturday, earning a series victory. The Phoenix won the opening game 5-2 but the Bulldogs fought back for an 11-5 victory in the nightcap. Elon's 6-3 win Friday night gave the Phoenix wins in two of the three weekend contests.
 
ON THE MOUND
In game one, Brian Edgington went six innings, allowing just one run and striking out four batters to pick up the victory. He moved to 5-2 on the season with the win. Kyle Greenler came on to pitch the final three innings to earn the save. He struck out six batters and allowed just two hits and one earned run in the contest.
 
In game two, Elon used seven different pitchers, striking out nine UNC Asheville hitters along the way. Sam DiLella gave up just one hit over 2 1/3 innings of relief, striking out two. Ben Sieracki relieved him and went 1 1/3 innings of no-hit ball. Sean O'Connell pitched a scoreless ninth, striking out one.
 
AT THE PLATE
Charlie Granatell was 3-for-5 in the opening game, with two doubles, a stolen base and a run scored. Alex Iadisernia added two hits and two walks in the contest, reaching base in 4-of-5 plate appearances. He also stole three bases. Luke Stephenson and Samuel Frontino each picked up a double and Cole Reynolds walked twice.
 
In the second game, Justin Cassella homered for the second time in as many games, a two-run blast. Connor Coolahan was the only Elon player with more than one hit, going 2-for-3 with two walks, an RBI and a run scored. Iadisernia and Stephenson both doubled as well.
 
THE RUNDOWN
Elon never trailed in the opener, scoring twice in the bottom of the first. Grantell led off with a double and scored on a throwing error. Coolahan eventually plated the second run on another UNC Asheville error.
 
Still leading 2-1 in the bottom of the third, Stephenson doubled to drive in a run and the Phoenix added insurance in the sixth inning. Frontino had an RBI double and eventually scored on a Parker Haskin bunt single. UNC Asheville would threaten with a run in the seventh but Greenler struck out six consecutive batters at one point and the Bulldogs were never able to mount a rally.
 
In game two, UNC Asheville jumped out to an 8-0 lead with back-to-back four-run innings in the third and fourth. Elon clawed back into it as Coolahan had a fifth-inning RBI single to get the rally started. In the bottom of the seventh, Frontino reached base and Cassella drove in two with a homer to make it 8-3. Iadisernia and Stephenson added RBI doubles that made it 8-5. But the rally was short-lived as UNC Asheville plated three runs to make it 11-5 and squash the comeback effort.
 
UP NEXT
Elon will host High Point Tuesday night for a 6:00 p.m. midweek contest before returning to CAA play over the weekend. The Phoenix will welcome College of Charleston to Latham Park for games on Friday (6:00 p.m.), Saturday (4:00 p.m.) and Sunday (1:30 p.m.).