HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. – A late rally was not enough for the Elon University softball team as the fourth-seeded Phoenix fell in its opening game at the Colonial Athletic Association Softball Championships to Towson, 7-5, on Wednesday, May 10, at Bill Edwards Stadium.
 
The setback dropped the Phoenix to 22-25 on the season while handing the maroon and gold its first loss against the Tigers (28-23) at the league championships. The loss also evened the all-time series between the two schools to 14-14.
 
AT THE PLATE
The Phoenix had 10 hits in the game versus the Tigers. Carley Davis, Drew Menscer and Allee Seering paced the Phoenix with multi-hit efforts on the day with a pair of base hits each. Seering and Claudia Penny drove in a pair of RBI with Penny's total moving to 41, the seventh-best single-season number in school history.
 
IN THE CIRCLE
Isley Duggins was handed the loss for the Phoenix in the circle, falling to 5-10 on the season. The sophomore pitched 3.0 innings in relief of starter McKenna McCard, allowing four earned runs off three hits. McCard pitched 4.0 innings and gave up one earned run on three hits.
 
THE RUNDOWN
The Tigers plated two runs in the top half of the second. Abby Ferguson led off the inning on a walk and then scored on the next at bat on a Towson double and a Phoenix error. A sac fly to right field pushed the second run of the inning to put the Phoenix down 2-0.
 
The Phoenix worked itself out of a jam in the top of the fourth. Towson had runners on first and third after a two-out single by Elizabeth Yoskowitz. Yoskowitz then stole second to give the Tigers a pair of runners in scoring position with the top of the lineup due up, but the Phoenix induced the final out on a fly out to left.
 
Elon tied the game at two-all in the bottom of the fifth. Bella Devesa reached on a leadoff bunt single, but the next two batters were retired to leave the Phoenix down to its final out. The maroon and gold stayed alive as Menscer and Megan Grant loaded the bases on a single and a walk, respectively. Seering took advantage of the Phoenix's extended life as her bloop single drove in two to tie the game at 2-2.
 
Towson came back to regain its two-run lead in the top of the sixth. Elon retired the first batter but got in a jam as the Tigers loaded the bases on the next three at bats. Another walk with the bags full put the Tigers back in front with a sac fly to left field giving Towson its initial two-run cushion.
 
The Phoenix battled back to get a run back in the home half of the sixth with two outs. Davis led off with a double and moved to third on a wild pitch. A strikeout and a fly out by the next two batters left her in danger of being stranded, but a bloop single by Chloe Hatzopoulos to center pushed her home to pull Elon within one, 4-3.
 
The Tigers came back to put the game out of reach in the top of the seventh. A three-run home run by Towson's Isabella Canesi put the Tigers up by four, 7-3, leaving the Phoenix needing a big rally in the bottom of the seventh.
 
Elon started a mini-rally in the seventh frame. Grant reached on a walk to begin the inning before being replaced on the bases by Mary Moss Wirt. The Phoenix cut its deficit in half after Penny connected on a one-out, two-run homer to center, bringing Elon within two. After Davis received a hit-by-pitch to give Elon the tying run at the plate with one out, the next two batters were retired on a fly and foul out to give the Tigers the 7-5 win.
 
ON DECK
The Phoenix is back on the field later this evening to face the loser between No. 3 seed Hofstra and No. 7 seed Stony Brook in a elimination game. That contest is scheduled to begin around 5 p.m.