ELON, N.C. – The Elon University softball team saw its season come to a close as the Phoenix was defeated by UNCW in the championship game of the Colonial Athletic Association Softball Tournament, 10-2, on Saturday, May 14, at Hunt Softball Park.
 
The setback dropped the Phoenix to 30-22 overall to finish the 2022 season. UNCW improved to 32-13 while securing the league championship for the first time and the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
 
AT THE PLATE
• Elon was held to five hits in the game with Carley Davis providing her second multi-hit game of the tournament while going 2-for-3. She also drove in the lone RBI for the Phoenix.
 
In the Circle
• Elon had four pitchers toe the rubber in the game with starter Taylor Cherry going 4.0 innings with four hits and two runs allowed. She also struck out two batters. McKenzie Weber, Alexa Nemeth and Isley Duggins also entered the circle for Elon with Weber being credited with the loss to go to 4-4.
 
THE RUNDOWN
• Elon jumped out early versus the Seahawks with a two-run top of the first. A pair of throwing errors by UNCW led to the Phoenix having its first two runners reach and score the first run of the contest. Another run was pushed across the plate as Davis lined a single into left center as Elon moved up 2-0.
• The Phoenix finagled out of a jam in the bottom of the second. UNCW led off the inning on a single with the runner advancing to third after a stolen base and a sacrifice bunt. Elon induced the next two outs on a pop up and a ground out to escape the inning.
• UNCW scored its first run of the game in the bottom of the fourth. The Seahawks opened the inning with a solo home run to trim Elon's lead to 2-1.
• Elon was able to load the bases in the top of the fifth in an attempt to respond and increase its lead. The Phoenix reached on a fielding error with one out and had back-to-back singles to put ducks on the pond, but a strikeout would leave them stranded.
• The Seahawks broke the game open with an eight-run bottom of the fifth. A pair of homers including a grand slam with no outs helped erased the Phoenix's lead and put UNCW ahead 9-2.
• UNCW added the final run of the contest on an RBI double in the sixth inning as the Seahawks earned the win and the league championship with the 10-2 run-rule victory.
 
NOTABLES
• Davis, Chloe Hatzopoulos and McKenna McCard all earned spots on the league's All-Tournament team.
• This was Elon's second appearance in the CAA title came with the first coming in 2019 versus James Madison in Harrisonburg.