GREENSBORO, N.C. – Behind a pair of home runs from sophomore Chloe Hatzopoulos, the Elon University softball team closed out its Colonial Athletic Association series with a 10-5 win over Piedmont Triad rival North Carolina A&T on Saturday, May 6, at the Lady Aggies Softball Complex.
 
Hatzopoulos bashed her fourth and fifth homers of the three-game set for the Phoenix (22-24, 15-7 CAA) to help the maroon and gold to a sweep over the Aggies (17-33, 10-14 CAA). The win was the 12^th in a row for Elon against North Carolina A&T and the 19^th out of the past 20 meetings.
 
AT THE PLATE
Elon had nine hits in the game while posting its second double-digit scoring outing of the weekend. Hatzopoulos was 2-of-3 at the plate with three RBI and ended the series going 7-of-9 with five homers, 12 RBI and a 2.444 slugging percentage. Hatzopoulos' five homers were the most for a Phoenix in a three-game series, surpassing Megan White's total of four she had versus Drexel in 2019.
 
Megan Grant also had a great day at the plate for the Phoenix, going 2-of-3 with a career-best five RBI. Both of Grant's hits went for extra bases on a double and a triple. Carley Davis also had a multi-hit game for Elon with the senior going 2-of-4 at the dish with an RBI.
 
IN THE CIRCLE
Isley Duggins took the win for the Phoenix in the circle, improving to 5-9 on the season. The sophomore pitched 4.0 innings and allowed four hits and two runs with four strikeouts on the day.
 
THE RUNDOWN
Elon got on the board early in the top of the first on an RBI single from Allee Seering. Seering drove in Drew Menscer, who reached earlier in the frame on a leadoff walk to put the Phoenix ahead 1-0.
 
North Carolina A&T got the run back in its half of the first. Alyxx Estrada reached on a bunt single to begin the inning and advanced to third on another bunt single and a stolen base. A sac fly to right pushed her across the dish to tie the game at one-all.
 
The Phoenix came back in the top of the second to retake the lead. Bella Devesa reached on a one-out single to left with Hatzopoulos coming to the plate. The Huntersville, N.C., native connected on her fourth homer of the weekend on a 0-1 count to put the Phoenix back in front 3-1.
 
A four-spot in the top of the fourth gave the maroon and gold some breathing room over the Aggies. Elon loaded the bases with one out after Hatzopoulos drew a walk, but a fielder's choice put the Phoenix down to its final out with the top of the lineup due up. Menscer kept the Phoenix alive with an RBI single with bags still full and Grant coming to the plate. The Vinton, Va., native cleared the bases on her triple to right center, giving Elon a 7-1 lead.
 
The Aggies scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the fourth to trim their deficit to five, 7-2. Grant came back with two more RBI on a double to right center in the top of the sixth to move Elon ahead by seven, 9-2, with no outs. N.C. A&T however induced the next three outs on fly outs to end the Phoenix's threat.
 
North Carolina A&T responded with a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth to make it a six-run game, 9-3. Elon got that run back on Hatzopoulos' fifth homer of the series in the top of the seventh, a two-out solo blast to center to score the Phoenix's 10^th run of the game.
 
The Aggies scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh to close the gap, but Elon would eventually induce the final out to complete the series sweep with a 10-5 win.
 
ON DECK
Elon earned the No. 4 seed for the upcoming CAA Softball Championship tournament next week, hosted by Hofstra University. The Phoenix will face the winner between No. 5 seed Towson and No. 8 seed N.C. A&T on Wednesday, May 10, at noon to open the tournament.