Elon, N.C.- The Elon Phoenix (17-8) used 13 runs in the middle innings to run away from the USC Upstate Spartans (16-10) on Tuesday night at Latham Park, 14-1.
 
The Phoenix used three home runs from Charlie Granatell, Connor Offshack, and Tanner Holliman to race past USC Upstate. Granatell and Offshack combined for back-to-back blasts in the sixth inning.
 
Five different Phoenix had multi-hit games including junior Justin Cassella who extended his multi-hit streak to five consecutive games. In Kenny Mallory Jr.'s return to the lineup, the Vanderbilt transfer finished 2-for-3 against the Spartans and completed his day with four RBI.
 
Phoenix pitching continued its dominance with Joe Sprake claiming his first start of the season. The Phoenix bullpen pitched six great innings with the Elon relievers striking out three Spartans, walking none and only surrendering two hits.

 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 

• Joe Sprake got the start on the mound and got off to a quick start, retiring the first six Upstate batters in just 15 total pitches.
• Elon struck first in the bottom of the second with two singles from Luke Stephenson and Justin Cassella, followed by a Tanner Holliman walk. Kenny Mallory Jr. would bring home Stephenson on a sacrifice fly to give the Phoenix the 1-0 lead.
• Joe Sprake would continue his great performance into the fourth inning following three perfect innings from the veteran. Following conceding his first walk and hit, Sprake would get out of the jam to keep Elon's lead at one.
• Tanner Holliman would counter the Spartan attack in the bottom of the fourth inning by adding to his team leading home run tally with his seventh homer of the season.
• Following Holliman's homerun, Mallory Jr. would double and later score off a sacrifice fly from Charlie Granatell.
• After pitching, four scoreless innings Joe Sprake would be replaced by Joe Savino on the mound in the top of the fifth where he would also keep the Spartans scoreless.
• In the fifth, Ryan Sprock and Cole Reynolds led off the inning with singles followed by a Stephenson walk. Sprock would then score on a wild pitch. Holliman and Mallory Jr. would both RBI single to add to Elon's lead to 7-0.
• The Phoenix blew the game open in the sixth, scoring seven runs in the inning all with two outs. Following a dropped third strike to keep the inning alive, the Phoenix loaded the bases for Kenny Mallory Jr. who claimed a hit-by-pitch and another RBI to his tally. Following a James Broderick walk, Charlie Granatell cleared the bases with a grand slam which would also be his first home run of the season.
• Connor Offshack would not be outdone as he would slam his fifth home run of the season during the very next at bat to give Elon their largest lead of the game at 14.
• USC Upstate would claim a run in the top of the seventh inning following a sacrifice fly by Easton Cullison.
• That run would be the final of the game and Elon would claim the victory over USC Upstate by the score of 14-1.

 
NOTES AND STATS
 

• With the Tuesday victory, the Phoenix claimed their sixth straight victory at Latham Park with their last loss coming in game one of the series with Northeastern.
• Elon now has won eight consecutive games against the USC Upstate Spartans, dating back to March of 1994.  
• Over the last eleven games for the Phoenix, they have outscored opponents 99-47 and that includes the Wake Forest loss on the road.
• Cole Reynolds extended his on-base streak to 18 games when he claimed a single in the bottom of the third inning.
• Justin Cassella finished off his Tuesday with a 2-for-4 performance that would extend his multi-hit streak to five consecutive games with at least two hits.
• Charlie Granatell claimed his first home run of the season with a grand slam in the sixth inning. This is also Elon's third grand slam of the season with the previous two being hit by Justin Cassella.  
• Kenny Mallory Jr. returned to the lineup, and he did not disappoint. Mallory finished with four RBI on the day and claimed them all in different ways. One on a sacrifice fly, two on a single and one on a hit-by-pitch.
• Tanner Holliman added to his team leading home run count with his seventh of the season, which is now tied for the second-best tally in the conference.
• Joe Sprake threw a career high four innings pitched and struck out two Spartans while surrendering just one hit. Sprake made quick work of the Spartans retiring the first 11 batters he faced.
• Over the course of Elon's last four games, the Phoenix pitching staff has walked just two batters over the course of Tuesday's game and the matchup this past weekend with Delaware.
• Tuesday's effort was the sixth game of the year where Phoenix pitching has allowed one run or less.
• Elon is now 13-4 in the month of March with two of the losses coming to nationally ranked teams, ECU and Wake Forest.
• The Phoenix offense has now scored in the double-digits seven times during the month of March and has scored five or more runs in an inning an even ten times in the last ten games.
• Elon is now ranked 19th nationally in RPI, the second highest among CAA teams.

 
UP NEXT
 

• The Phoenix will travel to Towson this weekend for a series with the Towson Tigers. Friday's first pitch will be at 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday with both begin at 1 p.m. Elon will return to Latham Park next Tuesday when they take on the Wake Forest Demon Deacons.