ELON, N.C. – The Elon University softball team split a pair of games on the first day of its season-opening tournament, the Elon Softball Classic, on Friday, Feb. 10. The Phoenix suffered a 4-0 setback to Winthrop in its first game before rebounding with an 8-7 victory over North Carolina Central in its nightcap at Hunt Softball Park.
 
Game One: Winthrop 4, Elon 0
Winthrop tacked on the first run of the game early in the opening frame. Ashton Vanhouse opened the frame on a single to left and moved to second on a wild pitch. Another base hit advanced her to third before she scored after the defense was occupied with a runner stealing second base after a strikeout.
 
Elon seemed to respond in its home half of the first to tie the game. Drew Menscer drove a one-out single down the left field line and advanced to third on a double by Carley Davis. A fly out into left field on the next at bat looked to be enough for the Phoenix to tie the game on a sac fly, but Elon was called out on a runner leaving early to end the inning.
 
The Eagles added a three spot in the top half of the third to increase their lead. A one-out, two-RBI double from Ansley Lee plated two more runs for Winthrop before Lee herself crossed the dish on an RBI single by Kaitlyn Tucker to give the Phoenix a 4-0 disadvantage.
 
The Phoenix attempted one final rally in the bottom of the seventh. The Phoenix reached on a one-out walk before a double by Bella Devesa moved both runners into scoring position. Both runners would be stranded however as the next two batters were retired as Winthrop escaped the frame unharmed and with the 4-0 victory.  
 
Devesa led the Phoenix at the plate with a 3-of-3 performance with a double as the senior represented half of the team's hit total. Davis also had an extra-base hit with her double.
 
Isley Duggins (0-1) was handed the loss in the circle for the Phoenix after allowing four runs in 4.1 innings of action. The sophomore also had four strikeouts in the contest.
 
Game Two: Elon 8, North Carolina Central 7
Elon got into a jam in the top of the first inning. North Carolina Central had runners in scoring position with only one out after having batters reach on an error and a single. Both players stole first and second to move into scoring position, but Elon finagled the next two outs to escape the frame.
 
The Phoenix offense came alive in the bottom of the second. Chloe Hatzopoulos led off the inning with a solo home run to center to put Elon on the board. Two more runs were pushed across on Allee Seering's two-out double to put the Phoenix ahead 3-0.
 
The Eagles responded with its first run of the game in the top of the third to pull within two, 3-1. N.C. Central kept the momentum going with a six-run top of the fourth, including a two-out grand slam from Ivory Jones that gave the Eagles a 7-3 lead.
 
After a quiet fourth and fifth inning from the Phoenix, Elon answered with a five-spot in the bottom of the sixth. Hatzopoulos led off with a single and was joined on the bases by Devesa on a one-out single to third with Mauri Murray coming to the plate. Murray was able to hit a drive up the middle that both the shortstop and center fielder overran leading to the ball going all the way to the wall. The play led to an inside-the-park home run and brought Elon within one, 7-6.
 
Elon kept up the momentum as Claudia Penny reached on a double on the next at bat, putting the tying run in scoring position. A fly out on the next at bat put the Phoenix down to its last out, but Elon continued the rally as a Reagan Hartley triple drove in Penny to tie the game at seven-all. Hartley herself would score the go-ahead run on Menscer's single up the middle to give Elon the 8-7 lead.
 
The Phoenix retired the side in the top of the seventh to secure the come-from-behind victory.
 
Elon and North Carolina Central were tied in hits with nine. Hatzopoulos and Penny both went 2-of-3 at the plate for the maroon and gold offense. Murray led the Phoenix with three RBI followed by Seering with two RBI.
 
Kaitlin King (1-0) earned the win in relief for the Phoenix, pitching 3.1 innings while allowing one hit. Starter Michaela Hobson tossed 3.2 frames and allowed seven runs on eight hits while striking out three batters.
 
On Deck
Elon returns to the diamond for the second and final day of the tournament, facing Morgan State at noon before closing the tournament in a rematch versus Winthrop at 2:30 p.m.