ELON, N.C. – Thanks to Megan Grant's three-RBI double in the bottom of the fifth inning, the Elon University softball team earned a 3-2 victory over its Triad rival North Carolina A&T in a midweek contest on Wednesday, April 6, at Hunt Softball Park.
 
The win snapped Elon's three-game losing skid to put the Phoenix back over .500 on the season at 18-17 in its final nonconference game of the season. The victory was also the 499^th career win for Elon head coach Kathy Bocock. North Carolina A&T fell to 12-22 on the season with its ninth straight defeat at the hands of the Phoenix in the all-time series between the two schools.
 
At the Plate
• Both teams tied in hits with five with Elon having five different players recording a base hit. Grant tied a season-high with her three RBI while recording her third double of the year for Elon's lone extra-base hit of the contest.
• The Phoenix stranded five runners on base compared to six for the Aggies.
 
In the Circle
• Three players took turns toeing the rubber for the maroon and gold with Alexa Nemeth picking up the win in relief. The Mooresville, N.C., native pitched 3.2 scoreless innings in relief to improve to 3-2 on the year while striking out a pair of batters.
• Starter Isley Duggins allowed one earned run in her 3.0 innings of action and struck out three batters. Fellow freshman Taylor Cherry came on for the final out of the game to earn the first save of the season for the Phoenix.
 
The Rundown
• The Aggies took the lead first in the top of the opening inning. N.C. A&T had a runner reach on a walk and then advanced all the way to third on a pair of stolen bases. A sacrifice fly to right enabled her to score and plate the first run of the game for an early 1-0 for the Aggies.
• North Carolina A&T doubled its lead in the top of the second. The Aggies led off the inning on a double and moved to third on a fly out to center. A Phoenix error on the next at bat allowed another run to cross the dish and put the maroon and gold in a 2-0 hole.
• Elon had a chance to respond in the home half of the second with two runners reaching on. Carley Davis singled and Megan White reached on a fielding error to give the Phoenix the tying runs on with no outs. The Aggies got out of the jam by inducing the next three outs on fly outs to leave the runners stranded.
• The Phoenix finally answered to get on the scoreboard and take the lead in the bottom half of the fifth. Chloe Hatzopoulos opened the frame with a single to left before Elon loaded the bases on a walk and another single. After a fielder's choice induced the first out, Grant lined a double into left center, clearing the bases and giving the Phoenix the 3-2 lead.
• North Carolina A&T came back to put the pressure on the Phoenix in the top of the seventh. Nemeth retired the first two batters of the inning, but back-to-back two-out singles kept the Aggies alive with its No. 2 hitter coming to the plate. Cherry entered the circle and ended the game on a fly out to right field to earn her first career save.
 
Notables
• Elon improved to 46-10 all-time versus its longtime I-40 rival and has won 16 out of the past 17 meetings against the Aggies.
• Rebecca Murray was caught stealing for the first time this season and in her career in the bottom of the third. Going into today, Murray was a perfect 19-of-19 on swiped bags in 2022 and 34-of-34 in her career.
• Bocock also reached 262 career wins at Elon, six wins shy of tying Sue Leonard (1990-98) for second on the program's all-time career wins list.
• Davis caught her ninth runner stealing this season in the fifth inning, the second-most in the CAA this year.
 
On Deck
Elon returns to Colonial Athletic Association play this weekend, April 9-10, hosting College of Charleston. The Phoenix and the Cougars open the series with a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at noon.