WILMINGTON, N.C. – The Elon University softball team outlasted UNCW in its Colonial Athletic Association series opener, 3-1, on Saturday, April 30, behind a two-RBI double from Rebecca Murray and a great effort in the circle from Taylor Cherry.
 
The victory coupled with doubleheader sweeps from Hofstra and College of Charleston on Saturday, clinched the Phoenix (26-19, 9-7 CAA) a spot for the CAA Softball Championships. UNCW (27-12, 9-7 CAA) also secured a tournament berth despite its setback to the Phoenix.
 
AT THE PLATE
• Both teams were held to three hits total with Elon's lone base hit of the contest coming from the bat of Murray on her two-RBI double, her 13^th two-bagger of the season. The Phoenix also left four runners on base.
 
In the Circle
• Cherry won the pitchers' duel over fellow freshman Emily Winstead as the Suffolk, Va., native improved to 5-6 on the season. Cherry pitched all 7.0 innings and allowed one run while striking out five batters. Her counterpart Winstead struck out 14 batters while walking six in her complete-game effort.
 
THE RUNDOWN
• Elon got on board in its half of the first inning. The Phoenix had its first three batters reach on walks before a sacrifice fly from Carley Davis eventually scored the first run of the game to put the Phoenix up 1-0.
• The Phoenix finagled out of a runner reaching third with one out in the bottom of the first. UNCW led off with a walk and advanced to third after a ground out. Cherry kept the runner stranded as the rookie struck out the next two batters to escape the inning.
• The Seahawks again got runners into scoring position in the bottom of the third. Two runners reached with one out before the pair were moved over into scoring position on a fly out to left. On the next at bat, UNCW drove a hard hit ball back into left field, but Chloe Hatzopoulos was able to make a leaping grab to keep the potential runs off the board.
• Hatzopoulos and the Phoenix defense came up big again in the bottom of the fourth. The Seahawks reached on a hit-by-pitch to leadoff the inning and stole second to move into scoring position. Elon induced the next three outs including a double play turned by Hatzopoulos on a fly out in which she doubled off the runner at second to end the inning.
• Elon added some insurance runs in the top of the fifth. The Phoenix drew a pair of one-out walks before a strikeout left the maroon and gold down to its final out with Murray stepping into the batter's box. The senior worked a full out before sending a liner over the left fielder to score a pair and put the Phoenix up 3-0.
• UNCW joined the Phoenix on the scoreboard in the bottom of the seventh. The Seahawks led off with a double and scored on a sacrifice fly to center field to break the shutout with two outs. Cherry recovered to induce the final out on a grounder to secure the 3-1 win for the Phoenix.
 
NOTABLES
• The win was the 270^th for Phoenix head coach Kathy Bocock at Elon, becoming the second coach in program history with 270 or more career wins behind Patti Raduenz's 277 from 2001-2011.
• After Saturday, Delaware, Hofstra, Elon and UNCW have clinched spots for the five-team CAA Championship Tournament. College of Charleston currently leads as the fifth-eligible team for the tournament with its 6-10 league ledger over Drexel (4-13) and Towson (4-13).
 
On Deck
The Phoenix and the Seahawks close out the series tomorrow, May 1, with a doubleheader beginning at noon.