Elon, N.C. - The Elon Phoenix baseball team (7-5) completed a three-game series sweep over the Quinnipiac Bobcats (4-6) by a score of 9-2 on Sunday. Elon used an eight-run eighth inning to seal the victory and earn victories in the first three games of a seven-game homestand.
Connor Offshack continued his hot streak at the plate by knocking in the winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning on an RBI-double down the right field line. The Phoenix would plate six more runs in the inning, half of them coming home on a
Parker Haskin bases clearing double.
The Bobcats got 97 pitches out of their Sunday starter Kevin Seitter. Seitter was brilliant through the first six innings, retiring the first nine Phoenix batters he faced. Anthony Donofrio accounted for three of the Quinnipiac hits and knocked in both Bobcat runs.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Anthony Donofrio got the hitting started with a two-out single in the first inning. Both teams' bats would go quiet for the rest of the first two frames.
- Elon starter Ryan Sprock would take command through the first three innings, only allowing two Bobcat singles and striking out a pair of hitters.
- Kevin Seitter retired his first nine Phoenix batters, until giving up a leadoff single to Charlie Granatell to lead off the bottom of the fourth inning.
- Both pitchers would remain solid until the bottom of the sixth when Ryan Sprock surrendered a leadoff walk to Jared Zimbardo. After being bunted over, Zimbardo would score the game's first run on an Anthony Donofrio single back up the middle.
- The Phoenix tied the score in the bottom of the seventh following back-to-back hits by Connor Offshack and Luke Stephenson. Following the Offshack base knock, Stephenson doubled down the left-field line and Offshack scored all the way from first base.
- Quinnipiac would respond in the top of the eighth. McGwire Tuffy reached on an error and advanced on a wild pitch. Donofrio would come up in the clutch again with a base hit back up the middle to score Tuffy from second base.
- Elon followed with its best inning of the season, driving in eight runs off of Seitter and reliever Mason Ulsh.
- Following a groundout to begin the inning, Adam Berry knocked a pinch hit single to center field which got the ball rolling for the Phoenix.
- A Charlie Granatell single gave Elon runners on the corners and James Broderick used a bunt single to get Berry home and used his speed to reach first safely.
- Offshack doubled down the right field line to give the Phoenix its first lead of the game and following a Luke Stephenson walk, Cole Reynolds singled through the left side, scoring Broderick and a pinch running Kenny Mallory Jr.
- Parker Haskin blew the game open with a bases loaded, RBI double that would give the Phoenix a seven-run advantage going into the ninth inning.
- Liam Dabagian sat the Bobcats down 1-2-3 to complete the series sweep for Elon over Quinnipiac.
NOTES AND STATS
- The Phoenix completed their first home weekend sweep of an opponent since Elon won three straight against Longwood early last season.
- Charlie Granatell had another great day against the Bobcats, finishing 3-for-5 and scoring a run in game three of the series.
- Connor Offshack continued his hot bat, knocking in the go-ahead run in Sunday's game and finishing 2-for-3.
- Elon senior Luke Stephenson added to what is now a seven-game hitting streak. Stephenson is batting 11-of-25 (.440) during that stretch.
- Adam Berry delivered two base hits during the eighth inning and scored a run in the Phoenix victory.
- Justin Cassella bunted his way into the hit column and stole another base. Cassella has swiped four bags without being caught this season.
- Ryan Sprock had his best pitching performance of his young career in the maroon & gold. Sprock followed up his CAA Rookie of the Week campaign with six innings pitched, allowing four hits, one run and striking out four in the no-decision.
- Relievers Spencer Bauer and Liam Dabagian pitched three innings of relief combined, striking out four batters between the two of them.
- As a team, Elon is 8-for-8 on stolen bases over the past five games.
- Elon had at least nine runs and 10 hits in every game on the weekend.
UP NEXT
- The Phoenix will host nationally ranked East Carolina on Wednesday at Latham Park at 4 p.m.
- Elon will continue the homestand with the first CAA series next weekend against the Northeastern Huskies.
-- ELON --
