ELON, N.C. – The Elon University softball team rallied from a 4-0 deficit to earn a 7-5 Colonial Athletic Association series win over UNCW on Sunday afternoon, April 16, at Hunt Softball Park.
 
The Phoenix improved to 17-21 on the season and 10-4 in the CAA in the rubber match win. UNCW fell to 18-22 on the year and 12-6 during league play. It was also Elon's second straight regular season series win over its intrastate rival.
 
AT THE PLATE
The Phoenix had seven hits at the plate with six players recording at least one base hit. Megan Grant was 2-of-3 at the dish with a double and an RBI. Claudia Penny, Kaitlyn Wells and Payton Swart drove in two RBI each with Penny adding her 16^th double of the year, tying for the fourth-most in a single-season in school history.
 
IN THE CIRCLE
Isley Duggins picked up the win in relief for the Phoenix, improving to 4-8 on the season. The Burlington, N.C., native gave up one unearned run in 3.0 innings while striking out two. Starter Meredith Wells pitched 4.0 innings and gave up six hits and four runs, but only two of those were earned.
 
THE RUNDOWN
The Seahawks scored three runs in the top of the first inning. Elon retired the first two batters, but UNCW stayed alive as Ariel Pearce and Janel Gamache reached on two-out singles. Morgan Britt cleared the bases on her double to right field before she scored herself on the play courtesy of a Phoenix error on the throw.
 
Elon had its first runner reach scoring position in the bottom of the third. Grant doubled down the left field line with one out for the Phoenix's first hit of the game. She would advance to third on sac bunt, but get stranded as a popup ended the inning.
 
UNCW added its fourth run of the game in the top of the fourth. Gamache reached on an error and moved to third on a one-out bunt single. Gamache later scored on an RBI single from Logan Bjorson to put the Seahawks ahead 4-0.
 
The Phoenix responded in the home half of the fourth. Penny walked to lead off the inning to give Elon a runner on. After the Seahawks induced the next out on a fly out, Kaitlyn Wells battled back from an 0-2 count to drive a two-run homer over the wall in left center. The round tripper cut the Phoenix's deficit in half, 4-2, going to the fifth.
 
Elon tied the game at four-all in the home half of the fifth. Reagan Hartley and Grant opened the frame reaching on a single and a walk, respectively, before the pair advanced to scoring position on a sacrifice bunt. After a strikeout reduced the Phoenix to its final out of the inning, Penny drove a double into right center, enabling Hartley and Grant to score and knot the game at 4-4.
 
After Duggins set down the heart of UNCW's lineup in order in the top of the sixth, Elon continued its rally in the bottom of the frame. Bella Devesa reached on a one-out single before Chloe Hatzopoulos joined her on the bases on an error. The Phoenix loaded the bases on a walk to Hartley with the top of the lineup due up with one out. Grant battled to a 1-2 count before sending a single up the middle to score Devesa and put the Phoenix in front. UNCW struck out the next batter to leave the Phoenix to its final out once again as Swart stepped into the batter's box as a pinch hitter. The rookie took the first pitch she saw and drove a single back up the middle, scoring Hatzopoulos and Hartley to give the maroon and gold a three-run lead, 7-4.
 
UNCW pressured the Phoenix in the top of the seventh. The Seahawks opened the inning with a walk and a single with both runners reaching scoring position on an error. A sac fly to center cut Elon's lead to two, 7-5, with a runner still on second and the tying run at the plate. Duggins and the Phoenix were able to finagle out of the jam with a strikeout and a tag out of a runner trying to advance to third base to escape with its fourth CAA series win of the season.
 
ON DECK
Elon travels to Hofstra for its next CAA series on April 22-23 in Hempstead, N.Y.