Elon, N.C.- Justin Mitrovich continued the stellar start to his season by contributing a career effort in Elon's (1-4) loss to NJIT (1-3). Mitrovich tied a career-high by pitching seven innings and fanned a career high 11 batters in Elon's 5-4 set back to the Highlanders.  
 
Charlie Granatell and Kenny Mallory Jr. continued to be multi-hit game machines with Granatell registering his fifth multi-hit game in five games and Mallory Jr. putting together his third straight multi-hit outing.
 
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 

• Both starters, Mitrovich for the Phoenix, and Aidan Kidd for NJIT, were comfortable right out of the gate with both pitchers allowing just one base runner in the first inning.
• Following a first inning double, Mitrovich would take command striking out the side in the second inning. The Phoenix had two runners on in the second but could not bring any of them across to score.
• Mitrovich retired three more in order in the third inning and would go in the book for six strikeouts through the first nine batters.
• Elon struck first in the bottom of the fourth when Connor Offshack took an 0-2 fastball over the left field wall to give the Phoenix the lead and give Elon just their second hit.
• The Yardley, Pa. native on the hill for the Phoenix would retire 13 straight batters before a fifth inning walk would cut that streak. NJIT still could not find a hit against Mitrovich following a first inning knock from Albert Choi.
• Elon provided two insurance runs in the bottom half of the fifth. The Phoenix collected four hits following three singles from Trey Tiffan, Mallory Jr., and Ryan Sprock. Elon brought home the second run on an RBI single through the left side from Shane Paradine.
• NJIT loaded the bases in the top of the sixth, but Mitrovich would not be denied as the Highlanders left the runners stranded following Mitrovich's 10 strikeout of the night.
• The Phoenix added another insurance run in the seventh inning. Mallory Jr. provided a leadoff double then one batter later, Sprock brought him home with an RBI single back up the middle.
• NJIT would bring across two runs in the eighth inning following Mitrovich's departure but would leave two runners stranded following a groundout to third base.
• The Highlanders grabbed two more runs to tie the score in the top of the ninth off Sprock to tie the score going into the bottom half of the frame.
• Elon had an opportunity with the winning run 90 feet from home, but James Broderick lined out to his shortstop counterpart to send the game to extra innings.
• NJIT brought home a run on a sacrifice fly in the tenth, and the Phoenix could not bring home the tying run resulting in a 5-4 loss for the Phoenix on Friday night.

 
NOTES AND STATS
 

• Justin Mitrovich matched his career high with seven innings pitched. The 11 strikeouts mark the first time he has surpassed the 10-strikeout plateau and puts him at a new career high.
• The last time a Phoenix pitcher went seven or more innings and struck out ten or more was when Brian Edgington went seven innings and struck out 11 Army Black Knights during the 2022 season.
• Through 14 innings of work, Mitrovich has allowed only four hits, walking four, striking out 20 and his ERA sits at 0.43. Mitrovich registered a Bill James game score of 77 during his first start with the game score registering at 81 in his second start. Mitrovich's game score in his first start was the highest in the nation.
• Charlie Granatell continues to swing a hot bat to begin the season. Granatell finished the game batting 2-for-5 with a double and two flyball outs that advanced runners further into scoring position. Granatell's 14 hits on the season remain near the top of the NCAA leaderboard as well as his tally for doubles.
• Kenny Mallory Jr. hit leadoff for the third consecutive game. Mallory Jr. finished with his third consecutive multi-hit game, finishing with two hits and two runs scored. Four Phoenix currently have a batting average over .380.
• Ryan Sprock finished with another multi-hit game and continues to drive up his RBI total on the season, now standing at seven.
• Connor Offshack hit his second home run of the season and registered his ninth RBI of the young season which leads the club. Four different players on the Phoenix have at least five RBI.
• For the fifth straight game, the Phoenix outhit their opponent. Elon has produced at least 10 hits in every game this season. The last time the Phoenix had double-digit hits in five straight games was last season following the final game against Navy, High Point and the three-game series with North Carolina A&T.

 
UP NEXT
 

• The Phoenix will return to Latham Park for a Saturday for the second game of the series with NJIT. First pitch time for Saturday's game will be 4 P.M.