CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The Elon University softball team jumped out to a 5-0 lead, but saw that advantage erased before suffering a 9-5 defeat at the hands of North Carolina on Wednesday, Feb. 15, in a midweek matchup at Anderson Softball Stadium.
 
A walk-off grand slam for UNC's Isabella Emerling helped North Carolina (3-2) finish off its rally over the Phoenix (1-4), scoring nine unanswered runs. Elon loss was only the second out of its last six games against its intrastate rival.
 
At the Plate
• Elon outhit the Tar Heels at the plate, 11-9, with three players having multi-hit games. Carley Davis and Bella Devesa both went 3-for-4 at the dish with Devesa driving in an RBI and Davis adding a double to her stat line.
• Chloe Hatzopoulos was 2-of-4 on the day while Allee Seering and Reagan Hartley each had an RBI. Hartley also registered her second triple of the season while stealing a base.
 
In the Circle
• Kaitlin King (1-1) was credited with the loss for Elon in the circle. The senior pitched 2.0 innings in relief and allowed three hits and four runs with a walk.
• Starter Meredith Wells tossed 4.2 innings for Elon and gave up six hits and five runs, but only two of those were earned. She also had a pair of strikeouts for the Phoenix.
 
The Rundown
• Elon added the first run of the game in its half of the opening inning. The Phoenix loaded the bases with one out after Hatzopoulos reached on an error before Seering drove a ball to center, allowing Megan Grant to score from third and give Elon a 1-0 lead.
• The Phoenix put up a four-spot in the top half of the third to expand its lead. Elon loaded the bases again after Davis and Hatzopoulos opened the frame with singles before another single by Seering put ducks on the pond for the maroon and gold. Devesa drove in the second run on a single to left field, scoring Davis to put the Phoenix ahead 2-0.
• An error on the Tar Heels allowed another run to score before UNC made a change in the circle with one out. North Carolina induced the second out on a strikeout, but the Phoenix stayed alive and added two more runs to the scoreboard on a two-RBI triple from Hartley that gave Elon a 5-0 cushion.
• The Tar Heels responded finally with a solo home run in its home half of the third to trim Elon's lead. Kiersten Licea took the first pitch she saw over the left center wall to make the score 5-1.
• North Carolina continued its rally to tie the game in the bottom of the fifth. Licea drove in a run on a one-out single to right before a sac fly brought the Tar Heels even closer at 5-3. A Phoenix miscue on the next at bat allowed the inning to continue before a Skyler Brooks RBI single up the middle drove in a pair of runs to tie the game at five-all.
• Elon saw a pair of runners reach in the top of the seventh as the Phoenix looked to retake the lead. Hazopoulos reached on a single before Devesa joined her on the bases with two outs, but UNC retired the side on a fly out to escape the inning.
• The Tar Heels opened its home half of the seventh with its first two batters reaching on a single and a walk before Elon induced the first out on a fly out. North Carolina loaded the bases after a hit-by-pitch, but Elon looked to finagle its way out of it after recording the second out on a fly out. Emerling would however prevent the game from going into extras as she belted a rope over the wall in center field as the grand slam walk-off secured the 9-5 win for the Tar Heels.
 
On Deck
Elon is back on its home diamond at Hunt Softball Park this weekend, Feb. 17-19, hosting its second home tournament, the Phoenix Invitational. The maroon and gold welcomes the field of Fordham, Michigan State, Saint Francis (Pa.) and James Madison this weekend.