ELON, N.C. – Capped off by a three-run walk-off home run from freshman Allee Seering in game two, the Elon University softball team swept Drexel in a Colonial Athletic Association doubleheader on Saturday, April 16 at Hunt Softball Park. The Phoenix took game one over the Dragons, 4-2, before closing out the day with a 9-6 victory in the nightcap thanks to Seering's home run.
 
Elon improved to 22-18 on the season and moved to 5-6 in the CAA. Drexel moved to 20-14 overall while falling to 4-7 in league play.
 
Game One: Elon 4, Drexel 2
Elon started the first game strong, but quickly fell into a bases-loaded jam in the top of the opening frame. The Dragons saw their first two batters retired, but loaded the bases on a pair of walks and a hit-by-pitch. McKenna McCard was able to finagle out of the frame with a strikeout to leave the bags full.
 
The Phoenix plated the first run of the game in the home half of the second. Elon had its first two batters reach on a pair of hit-by-pitches before both players scored on an RBI single from Megan White and a sacrifice fly from Keagan Goldwait that put the Phoenix up 2-0.
 
Drexel got a run back in the top of the third. The Dragons walked to lead off the inning and scored on an RBI single through the left side to make the score 2-1.
 
Elon responded with a two-run inning in the bottom of the fifth off the bat of Chloe Hatzopoulos. The freshman worked a 2-1 count before smashing a two-run blast to left field to put the maroon and gold ahead 4-1.
 
The Dragons added another run to close the gap in the top of the sixth, but did not have another base runner reach for the remainder of the game as the Phoenix closed out game one with a 4-2 win.
 
Hatzopoulos added her third home run of the year while also tying a season-best with her two RBI. Elon overall had six hits by six different players.
 
McCard (2-3) pitched 4.1 innings for the win in the circle, striking out a career-best seven batters with only one run allowed. Alexa Nemeth tossed the remaining 2.2 innings for the save and struck out two batters while also giving up one run.
 
Game Two: Elon 9, Drexel 6
The Phoenix opened the scoring in the bottom of the third in game two. Carley Davis drove in Drew Menscer on an RBI single to right as Elon went up 1-0 after the third.
 
Some Phoenix miscues in the top of the fourth allowed the Dragons to tie the contest at one-all. Drexel had a batter reach with one out on an error before scoring on another error on a fielder's choice to knot the game at 1-1.
 
Elon came back with a five-spot in the bottom of the sixth to retake the lead. The Phoenix took advantage of some miscues by the Dragons to move ahead 6-1 going into the top of the seventh.
 
The Dragons however rallied in the top of the seventh to tie the game once again. Drexel loaded the bases after a pair of walks and a single, but was down to its final out after a strikeout. A wild pitch enabled the Dragons to trim their deficit to four before loading the bases again on a walk. With a pinch hitter coming to the plate, Drexel drew a full count before tying the game at 6-6 on a grand slam. The Phoenix finally got out of the inning moving to its home half to look for the potential walk-off.
 
Elon got to work as the first two batters of the inning reached on a pair of walks before Seering stepped into the batter's box. The St. Charles, Ill., native took a 2-1 offering over the wall in left field with the three-run home run being the game and series clincher for the Phoenix, who walked off with the 9-6 win.
 
The Phoenix as a team had 10 hits with three players having multi-hit games in Menscer (2-for-3), Hatzopulos (2-for-4) and Seering (2-for-3). Seering also added a double to her stat line while driving in three RBI. Davis drove in a pair of runs as well.
 
Nemeth was credited with the win to move to 6-2 on the season. Starter McKenzie Weber did not allow an earned run in her 4.0 innings of work while striking out two.  
 
On Deck
Elon and Drexel are back on the diamond tomorrow, April 17, for the series finale with the opening pitch scheduled for 1 p.m.