Chapel Hill, N.C.- The Elon Phoenix (1-3) fell to #15 North Carolina (4-0) at Boshamer Stadium, 8-7, Tuesday night. The Phoenix and Tar Heels played a back-and-forth contest all night in a game that featured two of the most potent offenses in the country.
 
For the fourth straight game, the Phoenix outhit their opponents with Elon outhitting North Carolina, 12-10. Charlie Granatell had another splendid game for the maroon & gold, finishing 2-for-2 and reaching base five times.
 
Kenny Mallory Jr., Vince Fattore, and Alex Duffey all finished with multiple hits with Fattore homering for the second time in the first four games. Nolan Straniero had a bounce back performance out of the bullpen striking out four of the five Tar Heels he faced.
 
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 

• Elon would load the bases in the first inning following a double from Charlie Granatell and a single from Vince Fattore but would bring no runs across after an inning ending double play.
• Ben Sieracki got the start on the mound for the Phoenix. Sieracki would keep the bats of Carolina quiet with a strikeout of Vance Honeycutt in the first inning.
• North Carolina would strike for three runs in the bottom of the second following a pair of singles from Casey Cook and Anthony Donofrio.
• Following a clean inning from Christo Garrelts, the Phoenix would strike back in the fourth.
• Vince Fattore would send a three-two fastball over the left-center field wall of Boshamer Stadium, putting the Phoenix on the board. The Phoenix would strike with two more runs on a bases loaded single from Alex Duffey to even the score at three.
• The Phoenix would add one more in the fourth off a Granatell single to grab the lead going into the bottom half of the fourth.
• UNC would answer in the bottom of the fifth with a grand slam off Itai Spinoza to regain the lead, 7-4.
• Elon would gain a run back when Ryan Sprock hit a sharp, infield single to score Justin Szestowicki from third.
• The Tar Heels would get the run back in the bottom of the seventh following an RBI single from Casey Cook to score Honeycutt from second.
• The Phoenix would counter with a pair of runs in the top of the eighth following a Ryan Sprock fielder's choice and a Connor Offshack single back up the middle to bring the score to 8-7.
• Elon would enter the final frame down just a run, but would go three up, three down to fall, 8-7.

 
NOTES AND STATS
 

• Ben Sieracki got his first start of the season against the Tar Heels. He allowed just one earned run in two innings of work.
• Charlie Granatell continues to swing a hot bat to begin the season. Granatell finished the game batting 2-for-2 with three walks. Granatell reached base five times, moving his season on-base percentage to .762. Dating back to last season, Granatell now has a hitting streak of eight games.
• Kenny Mallory Jr. hit leadoff for the second consecutive game. Mallory Jr. finished with his second consecutive multi-hit game, finishing with two hits and a run scored.
• Vince Fattore hit clean-up for the Phoenix and started hot with a single in the first inning and then a homerun in the fourth inning, the second of his young career.
• Justin Szestowicki made his first start for the maroon & gold at shortstop. Szestowicki finished the game with a single and two runs scored in his return to Chapel Hill.
• Alex Duffey had his first multi-hit game since 2022. Alex Duffey finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs following a two-run since in the fourth inning.
• Nolan Straniero made his first relief appearance for the Phoenix in a bounce back effort. Straniero faced five batters and struck out five, without allowing a walk or a hit.
• Christo Garrelts made his second relief appearance for the Phoenix. Garrelts tossed his second straight outing without giving up a run while striking out a pair of Tar Heels.
• The seven scored by the Phoenix against North Carolina are the most scored by Elon since May 4, 2010, when the Phoenix also scored seven runs against the Tar Heels. It marks the second most runs scored by a Phoenix team at Boshamer Stadium.

 
UP NEXT
 

• The Phoenix will return to Latham Park for a three-game, weekend series with NJIT. First pitch on Friday is scheduled for 4 P.M.