RALEIGH, N.C. – The Elon University softball team fell at NC State, 11-3, on Wednesday, Feb. 22, at Dail Softball Stadium to begin a six-game road swing.
 
The Phoenix fell to 4-6 on the season while the Wolfpack improved to 3-7 overall.
 
AT THE PLATE
• Elon was held to four hits at the plate with Claudia Penny accounting for two of that total after the senior was 2-for-3 on the day. The Apex, N.C., native also drove in a run as did Bella Devesa.
• Carley Davis added a double in the contest, her fourth of the season. Allee Seering was the other player with a base hit for Elon.
 
IN THE CIRCLE
• Elon used five pitchers in the contest with Isley Duggins being saddled with the loss to go to 0-2 on the season. Overall, Elon hurlers allowed 14 hits and 11 runs – 10 earned – to the Wolfpack. The Phoenix struck out three batters and walked eight.
 
THE RUNDOWN
• Elon had an opportunity to add the first run of the game in the top of the second. Seering led off with a single down the right field line and advanced to third on a sac bunt and a wild pitch. She was joined on the bases by Chloe Hatzopoulos, who drew a free pass, to give Elon runners at the corners with one out. NC State was able to escape the jam on a caught stealing and a runner leaving early play to move to its home half of the second.
• The Wolfpack responded with a five-spot in the bottom of the second. NC State loaded the bases with one out before a free pass plated the first run of the contest. Following that play, NC State connected on a grand slam off a 1-0 count to take a 5-0 lead.
• NC State added two more runs in the bottom of the third to increase its advantage to 7-0. Elon answered to get a run back in the top of the fourth. Penny drove a one-out hit to the shortstop before being replaced on the bases by Payton Swart after Seering reached on an error. A wild pitch advanced both runners into scoring position before a sacrifice fly by Devesa enabled Swart to tag up and cross the dish for Elon's first run of the game.
• After holding the Wolfpack offense in check in the bottom of the fourth, Elon continued to trim its deficit in the top of the fifth. Mary Moss Wirt and Kaitlyn Wells both reached to lead off the inning on a walk and an error, respectively. The two would advance to scoring position after a ground out, but leaving the Phoenix with only one out to work with. Penny responded with a single up the middle to drive in both runners to make it a four-run game, 7-3.
• The Wolfpack quickly responded with a four-run home half of the fourth. A three-run home run and a two-out RBI single ended any chance of a Phoenix comeback as NC State took the run-rule victory, 11-3.
 
ON DECK
The Phoenix continues its six-game road trip at the Liberty Softball Classic this weekend, Feb. 24-26. Elon will play host Liberty along with Princeton, Northern Illinois and Marshal in its five-game set in Lynchburg, Va.