ELON, N.C. – The Elon University softball team overcame a late surge from Saint Francis (Pa.) to hang on to a 4-3 victory on the second day of the Phoenix Invitational on Saturday, Feb. 18, at Hunt Softball Park.
 
The Phoenix improved to 3-5 on the season while Saint Francis went to 2-4 in its first game of the day. The win also tied Elon head coach Kathy Bocock for the most wins in school history with 277.
 
AT THE PLATE
• Elon was outhit by the Red Flash, 10-4, with senior Claudia Penny accounting for half of the Phoenix's total. The Apex, N.C., native was 2-for-3 on the day with three RBI and a pair of doubles to pace the maroon and gold offense.
 
IN THE CIRCLE
• Meredith Wells earned the win for the Phoenix, going to 1-1 on the year. The junior pitched 5.0 innings and gave up nine hits and three runs with a strikeout.
• Isley Duggins got the save for Elon after she pitched 2.0 scoreless innings with one hit allowed and three strikeouts.
 
THE RUNDOWN
• The Phoenix began the game plating a run in the bottom of the first. Reagan Hartley opened the inning with a single and advanced to second on an error. She later advanced to third before scoring on a sac fly by Mauri Murray.
• Elon added its second run in the bottom of the second inning. Allee Seering walked to lead off the inning before scoring on a double from Penny to put the Phoenix ahead 2-0. The maroon and gold would load the bases in the inning with one out, but could not drive anyone end to leave bags full.
• The Red Flash got on the scoreboard in the top half of the third on an RBI single, but the Phoenix responded with two runs of its own in the home half of the fifth. Penny came through with a two-out, two-RBI double to drive in Seering and Chloe Hatzopoulos, who both reached on an error and walk, respectively. The play helped moved Elon's lead to 4-1 after the fifth inning.
• Saint Francis cut its deficit to one in the top of the sixth. The Red Flash loaded the bases on a pair of singles and a hit-by-pitch to begin the frame before a walk allowed a runner to come home to cut Elon's lead in half, 4-2. A sac fly to left enabled another runner to cross the dish, bringing Saint Francis within one with two outs before Elon escaped the inning on a strikeout.
• The Red Flash threatened again in the top of the seventh inning. A single and a error gave Saint Francis two runners on with one out, but the Phoenix retired the next two batters on a fly out and strikeout to secure the win.
 
ON DECK
Elon hosts former Colonial Athletic Association foe James Madison for its finale at the Phoenix Invitational tomorrow, Feb. 19. That game is set for 5 p.m. and will air on FloSoftball.