Elon, N.C. – The Elon University baseball team used a four-run sixth inning to break open a close game in an 8-3 win over Akron Sunday. Elon took 2-of-3 games on the weekend and improved to 4-3 on the season, while the Zips falls to 3-4.
 
Elon battered Akron pitching to the tune of 13 hits and the Phoenix got a quality outing from freshman pitcher Ryan Sprock, who earned his first career win.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Akron got on the scoreboard first with a second-inning two-out RBI double but Elon answered back immediately as Connor Offshack led off the bottom of the second with a first pitch home run. It was Offshack's second homer of the weekend.
• The score remained knotted at 1-1 until Elon took the lead in the bottom of the fourth. Offshack singled to lead off that frame and then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. He then scored on Parker Haskin's RBI single.
• Akron tied the game in the top of the fifth but Elon took the lead back in the bottom of the inning. Charlie Granatell and Luke Stephenson had back-to-back singles before a Cole Reynolds walk loaded the bases. Offshack then grounded into a fielder's choice that plated a run for the 3-2 lead.
• In the bottom of the sixth, the floodgates opened. Connor Coolahan walked and Adam Berry singled. Both runners scored on an error to make it 5-2. Stephenson then added to the lead with an RBI triple and he scored on Reynolds' single through the left side to make it 7-2 after six.
• After Akron got a run back in the top of the seventh, Elon closed out the scoring in the bottom of the inning. Elon loaded the bases on a James Broderick walk, a Granatell single and a Stephenson walk. Broderick would come home on Reynolds' groundout to first to make the final score 8-3.

 
STATS AND NOTES

• Luke Stephenson reached base five times by going 3-for-3 with two walks. He added a run and an RBI. He went 6-for-11 on the weekend with three runs and four RBI after starting the year just 1-for-12 batting.
• Connor Offshack was 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBI, while Charlie Granatell went 2-for-5 with a run scored.
• Elon walked nine times in the game and 23 times during the weekend. James Broderick, Stephenson, Will Vergantino and Connor Coolahan walked twice each in Sunday's game.
• Stephenson's triple was Elon's first of the year and matched his total from a year ago.
• Ryan Sprock pitched five innings, allowing five hits, two walks and two earned runs to pick up his first win of the season.
• Liam Dabagian made his second appearance of the season, pitching three innings and allowing one hit and one unearned run. In five innings on the season, he has allowed just one hit and has an ERA of 0.00.
• Ben Simon pitched a scoreless ninth, striking out two of the three batters he faced.
• Granatell extended his hitting streak to four games and he has a hit in six of Elon's seven games this year.

 
UP NEXT

• Elon will play a home-and-home series with UNCG midweek. Elon hosts the Spartans Tuesday at 4 p.m. and the two teams will square off in Greensboro exactly 24 hours later.
• Elon will then host Quinnipiac over the weekend for the start of a seven-game homestand. Games will be Friday at 4 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m.