Elon, N.C.- The Elon Phoenix (21-10, 11-3 CAA) finished the day with a win and a loss on Easter Sunday as they battled to a split doubleheader with the UNCW Seahawks (19-11, 10-4 CAA). Elon was able to take game one of the day, 3-1, in seven innings but fell in game two, 7-6.
 
In game one of the double-header, Shea Sprague, and Liam Dabagian delivered seven great innings to give Elon their fourth win against the Seahawks in their last five games. The two lefties combined for nine strikeouts while walking just two.
 
In game two, the Phoenix power came to the plate with Cole Reynolds and James Broderick both hitting home runs. Three Phoenix would deliver multi-hit performances in the losing effort.
 
With the two teams splitting the doubleheader the standings at the top of the CAA remain unchanged with Elon still holding a one game advantage over UNCW.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

Game One

• UNCW got going in the first inning when Dillon Lifrieri launched a home run to left field to put the Seahawks up 1-0.
• Shea Sprague would get comfortable on the mound following the solo home run. The left-hander would retire eight of his next nine batters to keep the CAA-leading UNCW bats quiet.
• Elon struggled to get going offensively early with only two batters reaching base the first time through the Phoenix lineup. The Phoenix could not claim a hit off Jacob Shafer through the first three frames.
• Following back-to-back strikeouts to end the Seahawk top of the fourth, Elon would carry that momentum into the bottom of the fourth when catcher Luke Stephenson would use the wind to his advantage and hit his fifth home run of the season over the left-field fence to tie the game up at one.
• The Phoenix would once again capitalize on momentum in the bottom of the fifth. Following back-to-back singles by Connor Coolahan and James Broderick, UNCW brought in Ethan Chenault. Chenault would walk Charlie Granatell to load the bases and freshman Ryan Sprock would deliver a two-RBI single through the left side to give Elon a two-run lead.
• Liam Dabagian would earn the win following two innings of relief following his third of an inning in the fifth. Dabagian would retire all seven batters he faced and would secure Elon's 11^th conference win of the season.

Game Two

• Elon would begin with a great chance to score in the bottom of the first. Following singles by Charlie Granatell and Cole Reynolds, Elon would load the bases but would leave all three runners stranded.
• UNCW would get into the scoring column first following a homerun by Jac Croom to give the Seahawks a 1-0 lead.
• The Phoenix would strike back in the bottom of the second following a James Broderick homerun to right field to even the score.
• The Seahawks would use back-to-back doubles in the top of the third to score another run, but Ryan Sprock would get out of a jam with three consecutive outs following the doubles.
• The Phoenix would answer again when Cole Reynolds homered to left center, his fifth of the season, and even the score at two.
• Croom would launch his second homerun of the game in the top of the fourth to once again UNCW the lead.
• Elon would claim the lead for the first time in game two with a three-run fifth inning. Following a Ryan Sprock walk, Luke Stephenson would double to left to give Elon two runners in scoring position with no outs. Connor Offshack pinch hit with the bases loaded and drew a walk to tie the score. Connor Coolahan would reach on an error, scoring another run and Justin Casella would score on the next at bat on a wild pitch.
• UNCW would get one run back in the following frame. A sacrifice fly by Brock Wills would give UNCW their fourth run of the day and bring the score to 5-4.
• UNCW would take back the lead in the top of the eighth. Dillon Lifrieri would hit his seventh homerun this season, driving in two, giving the Seahawks a one run lead. John Newton would claim his first hit of the day on a solo homerun to center field to give the Seahawks an insurance run.
• The Phoenix would come to bat in the bottom of the ninth down two and would claim a run on a Tanner Holliman single, but the comeback would fall short.

NOTES AND STATS

• With the split of the doubleheader, Elon still claims a one-game lead over the Seahawks at the top of the CAA Standings. The Phoenix holds a two-game lead over Northeastern and a two and a half game lead over the College of Charleston.
• Following the split with UNCW, Elon has now won five of its last six games during doubleheaders dating back to the Northeastern series earlier this season and the Delaware series a year ago.
• Elon has been using the long ball effectively at Latham Park. The Phoenix have homered in eight out of their last nine games at Latham Park.
• This is Elon's first home loss since March 10 against Northeastern with Elon having won eight straight home games.
• Cole Reynolds extended his on-base streak to 24 games against the Seahawks, it is the fourth longest streak in the last five seasons and the longest in the decade of the 2020s.
• Reynolds also hit his fifth home run of the season in game two of the doubleheader while finishing 2-for-5 in game two.
• Luke Stephenson would claim two extra-base hits against the Seahawks while finishing a combined 3-for-8 between the two games.
• Liam Dabagian pitched a perfect 2.1 innings of relief in game one. This lowers the lefties ERA on the season to 1.33.
• The Phoenix pitching staff continues to be one of the nation's leaders in strikeout-to-walk ratio as the club finished the day with 19 total strikeouts to just five walks.
• Elon has now won four of the last six against UNCW and Mike Kennedy claimed his 31^st win against UNCW in his time as Elon's head coach.
• With Elon's 11^th conference win, this surpasses the 2021 team who previously had the most CAA wins of a team in the decade of the 2020s with 10. Elon has 15 games left against CAA opposition to increase the lead.

 
UP NEXT
 

• The Phoenix will head down I-40 to meet the High Point Panthers on Tuesday night at 6 p.m. This will be the first of a four-game road trip with Elon heading to Williamsburg, V.A. to take on the William & Mary Tribe for a three-game set this upcoming weekend.