WILMINGTON, N.C. – Griffin Arnone drove in two runs with a bases-loaded single and Elon University baseball secured the CAA series victory with a 3-1 win over UNCW on Sunday, May 1 at Brooks Field. The Phoenix improves to 20-22 overall and 5-10 in conference play.
 
"That was a huge win today," said head coach Mike Kennedy. "I thought our guys came out today focused and ready to compete. That was a much-needed series win and to get it on the road was big."

ON THE MOUND
Ben Simon (3-0) held the Seahawks (24-18, 9-6) to just one hit and added one strikeout in 2.2 innings to earn the win. Starter Shea Sprague allowed one run on six hits and a walk in the no decision. The true freshman from Hanover, Mass. recorded two strikeouts over 5.1 innings. Liam Dabagian gave up one hit and one base on balls in one scoreless inning of work.
 
"Shea continues to give us quality innings and keep us in games," continued Kennedy. "Liam and Ben were both very good again."

AT THE PLATE
Arnone and Cole Reynolds both finished 2-for-4 to lead Elon at the plate. Arnone tripled and added the two RBIs to his totals and Reynolds doubled with one RBI. Connor Coolahan hit 1-for-5 with a double and a run scored while Alex Iadisernia and Will Vergantino both came around once.
 
"Cole and Griffin both stepped up and delivered some big hits for us," added Kennedy.

THE RUNDOWN
The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the fourth inning when UNCW's Ethan Baucom homered to left to give the Seahawks a 1-0 lead. The hosts looked to add some insurance with two outs and runners on the corners in the fifth, but Carlos Marte fielded a ground ball and stepped on second for the force out. The Seahawks again had runners on the corners with two away in the sixth, but Vergantino snagged a line drive to keep it a 1-0 deficit.
 
Elon finally came up with an answer in the top half of the seventh. With one out, Arnone legged out a triple to right center. Arnone then ran on contact as Vergantino hit a weak ground ball to the infield, but the UNCW shortstop fired home in time for the catcher to apply the tag. Reynolds followed with a double to right center and Vergantino scored from first to knot the game at 1-1.
 
UNCW looked to respond in its next turn at the plate as Simon entered the game with one out and runners on first and second. The right hander was able to get out of the threat though as he induced a fly out to shallow center field before striking out the next batter. In the top of the eighth, Coolahan doubled down the left-field line, Iadisernia was hit by a pitch and Luke Stephenson walked to load the bases with one out. The Phoenix then jumped ahead 3-1 as Coolahan and Iadisernia crossed the plate on an Arnone hit back up the middle. Simon gave up a one-out single in the bottom of the frame, but retired the next five batters he faced to close out the rubber match.
 
NOTES
- This was Simon's second win of the series.
- It was Elon's sixth series win of the season and it first CAA series win.
- The Phoenix left eight runners on base.
- Elon hit .500 (1-for-2) with runners on third and less than two outs.
- Sprague, Dabagian and Simon combined to throw 78-of-122 pitches (63.9 percent) for strikes.
- Arnone entered the weekend hitting .258 and raised his average to .306.

UP NEXT
Elon is on the road next weekend, May 6-8, for a CAA series at Delaware.