ELON, N.C. – The Elon University softball team had a pair of setbacks on the second and final day at its season-opening home tournament, the Elon Softball Classic, on Saturday, Feb. 11. The maroon and gold was handed a 5-1 defeat at the hands of Morgan State in its opening game before suffering an 8-7 loss against Winthrop in its nightcap.
 
Game One: Morgan State 5, Elon 1
The Bears jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the opening frame. Morgan State had two runners reach on a single and a walk before both stole bases to move into scoring position. The pair took advantage of a Phoenix wild pitch to cross the dish while a solo home run also added to the Bears' advantage.
 
Elon was able to respond to get a run back in the home half of the second. The Phoenix reached on three straight singles to load the bases with no outs before scoring a run on a Claudia Penny free pass. Elon however could not add to the total as the next three batters were retired to leave ducks on the pond.
 
More Elon miscues led to Morgan State adding some insurance runs in the top of the fourth. The Bears led off with a walk and advanced all the way to third on a single and a sac bunt. A throwing error allowed the runner to score from third while another sacrifice bunt push a second Morgan State run across the board in the inning.
 
The Phoenix did not register another hit for the remainder of the game as Morgan State took the 5-1 victory. It was the first win for the Bears in its series against the Phoenix, with Elon now holding a 5-1 advantage all-time.
 
Offensively, Elon only had four hits in the game by four different players. The Phoenix also left four players on base.
 
McKenna McCard (0-1) took the loss in the circle for Elon after pitching 3.0 innings with three runs allowed on two hits. She also struck out five batters.
 
Game Two: Winthrop 8, Elon 7
Both teams traded runs in the first inning. Winthrop scored on a sacrifice fly from Kaitlyn Tucker, driving in Paige Rivas who reached earlier on a leadoff single. Elon responded to tie the game in the home half of the first as drove in Reagan Hartley on a one-out sac bunt.
 
Winthrop added a run in both the third and fourth inning to retake the lead, 3-1. Elon threaten in the bottom of the fifth inning as Mauri Murray led off with a double and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt. The Phoenix however hit into a double play on the next at bat stopping Elon's attempted rally.
 
Elon did rally to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh. Davis led off with a home run to left field to bring the Phoenix within one. Chloe Hatzopoulos then reached on a single and moved to third after Murray joined her on the bases on a fielding error. Hatzopoulos tied the game on a double steal with Murray to tie the game at three-all.
 
The Phoenix loaded the bases with one out in the seventh looking for a chance for a walk-off opportunity. The Eagles however induced the two outs to force the game into extras.

With the international tiebreaker rules in place, Winthrop took the lead in the top half of the eighth. The Eagles scored on a pair of RBI singles to take a 5-3 advantage to the Phoenix's home half of the inning.
 
Elon came back to load the bases with one out in the bottom of the seventh after a couple of errors by the Eagles. A strikeout however left the Phoenix to its final out with Bella Devesa coming to the plate. The senior came up clutch with a double into left center, driving in a pair of runs to tie the game at five-all.
 
Undaunted, Winthrop came back with three more runs in the top of the ninth to take the lead for good. The Eagles scored off a pair of Phoenix errors while a sacrifice fly added the final tally for Winthrop, which took an 8-5 lead into Elon's home half.
 
The Phoenix answered to come back within one in the bottom of the ninth. Kaitlyn Wells drove in two runs on a two-out, two-RBI double up the middle as Elon sat with the tying run in scoring position. The Phoenix however lined out to end the game on the next at bat falling short in its rally.
 
Elon registered seven hits in the game with freshman Payton Swart going 2-for-4 at the plate to lead the Phoenix in her first collegiate start. Davis, Devesa and Kaitlyn Wells led the Phoenix with two RBI each.
 
Meredith Wells (0-1) took the loss in the circle in relief for Elon, pitching 5.0 innings while allowing eight hits and three earned runs.
 
On Deck
Elon travels to in-state rival North Carolina on Wednesday, Feb. 15, for a midweek contest against the Tar Heels. Game time is set for 5 p.m.