GREENSBORO, N.C. – The Elon University softball team was swept in its twin bill at UNCG on Saturday afternoon, March 4, at the UNCG Softball Stadium. The Phoenix fell in game one, 3-2, on a walk-off home run while the Spartans completed the sweep with a 10-5 verdict in game two.
 
Elon fell to 5-13 on the season while UNCG improved to 11-7.
 
Game One: UNCG 3, Elon 2
The Phoenix scratched across the first run of the game in the top of the third inning. Claudia Penny connected on her first home run of the season on a two-out solo shot to center to put Elon up 1-0.
 
UNCG tied the game in its home half of the inning. Blayke Batten doubled to lead off the inning and moved to third on a sac bunt. She would score on a grounder by Maycin Brown to knot the game at 1-1.
 
Elon retook the lead in the top of the fourth. Bella Devesa reached on a leadoff single and was joined on the base paths by Kaitlyn Wells and Reagan Hartley after the pair reached on an error and a walk, respectively. A wild pitch enabled Devesa to score from third and move the other runners into scoring position with no outs. UNCG was able to induce the next three outs without any more damage being done.
 
The Phoenix had a chance to add more runs to its lead in the top of the sixth. Wells singled and moved to second on a Drew Menscer one-out walk. A wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position, but the next two batters were retired to leave them stranded.
 
The Spartans took advantage in the bottom of the seventh to earn the walk-off win. UNCG's Delaney Cumbie singled to left to begin the inning before she and Brown scored with the go-ahead runs on Brown's two-run home run to center to give the Spartans a 3-2 win.
 
Elon had seven hits in the game with Devesa going 2-of-4 to lead the Phoenix at the plate. Penny had the only RBI in the game for Elon on her homer while the Phoenix drew five walks and left 11 runners on base.
 
Game Two: UNCG 10, Elon 5
Elon got off to an aggressive start in the beginning of game two. Allee Seering tacked the first run on the board for the Phoenix on a two-out, solo round tripper to left center that put the Phoenix ahead 1-0 in the first inning.
 
The Phoenix put up a two-spot in the top of the second. Wells and Mary Moss Wirt reached with one out on an error and a single, respectively. Menscer joined them on the bases on another single to load the bases. Elon pushed two across on Megan Grant's two-RBI single to right to give the Phoenix a 3-0 advantage.
 
The lead would evaporate in the Spartans' home portion of the third. UNCG loaded the bases with one out before another free pass allowed the first run to score for the Spartans. UNCG tied the game on a fielder's choice and sac fly to take a 3-3 game into the fourth.
 
UNCG broke the tie with a three-run home run in the bottom of the fifth. Jessie Shipley drove a pitch over the left field wall to put the Spartans ahead 6-3.
 
Elon rallied to get a couple back with two outs in the top of the sixth. Singles from Menscer and Grant drove in a pair of runs and brought the Phoenix within one, 6-5, going to the bottom of the frame.
 
The Spartans came back with four runs of their own to essentially put the game out of reach in its half of the sixth. A two-RBI double and a two-run homer with two outs gave UNCG some insurance runs that Elon was unable to answer as the Phoenix fell 10-5 in game two.
 
Elon tied a season-high for hits with 11 as four players had multi-hit efforts. Grant was 2-of-4 in the game with a season-high three RBI. Menscer (2-of-3), Penny (2-of-4) and Seering (2-of-4) also had multiple hits for the Phoenix with Seering connecting on her second home run of the season.
 
On Deck
Both teams close out the series with a single game tomorrow, March 5, with the start time set for 1 p.m. at Hunt Softball Park.