Elon, N.C.- In record-breaking fashion, the Elon Phoenix (2-4) took down the NJIT Highlanders (1-4) at Latham Park Saturday night. The 27 runs scored are the most ever scored at Latham Park with the run total being the second highest in program history.
 
Will Vergantino had a career night for the Phoenix, finishing five-for-five with two home runs including a grand slam, seven RBIs and six runs scored. Entering the matchup, Vergantino had two career home runs with both coming in his redshirt freshman season. His five hits are more than he had during the entire 2023 season.
 
Kenny Mallory Jr. was not far behind Vergantino. The junior finished three-for-three with a grand slam of his own. Mallory Jr. set a new career-high with five RBIs and secured his fourth straight multi-hit game. Charlie Granatell finished with his sixth straight multi-hit game to open the season and extended his hitting streak to 10 games.
 
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 

• Elon got itself into a 3-0 hole early in the first inning. Following a first inning groundout, the Phoenix would give up three straight hits to fall behind. NJIT brought home two more runs in the inning and trail by three after one.
• Hudson Narke began to settle in during the second inning. Following a lead-off walk, Narke picked off Albert Choi at first base then retired two straight for the unorthodox 1-2-3 inning.
• In the bottom of the frame, Elon got Narke run support. Following a walk to Alex Duffey, Tanner McCammon laced his first career hit into the left center field gap, scoring Duffey from first. After a balk, Vergantino would single home McCammon followed by an RBI groundout from Charlie Granatell.
• The Highlanders answered with another crooked inning in the fourth. NJIT plated four runs on four hits to break open a 7-3 lead.
• The Phoenix answered immediately with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the frame. Vergantino blasted a solo home run measuring at a projected 412 feet. Then, a Granatell double would scoring Mallory Jr. following a four-pitch walk to Mallory.
• Elon took its first lead in the bottom of the fifth and would expand it. After walks to Justin Szestowicki and Duffey, McCammon would hit a deep fly ball off the wall, but the runners would stay in tagging up position. Szestowicki would score on the play with Duffey moving up 90 feet. Mallory Jr. would bring home a run on an RBI single to tie up the score while a Charlie Granatell double gave the Phoenix the lead. Shane Paradine gave the Phoenix a larger cushion with his first home run of the season which gave Elon a five-run advantage.
• Elon tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the sixth, all coming with two outs. Four walks would bring home one of the runs while a Ryan Sprock single up the middle brought home the other two and would be the only hit in the inning for the Phoenix. Elon led 15-7 after six innings of play.
• NJIT brought a run back in the top of the seventh, but the Phoenix would blow the game open and then some in the seventh inning.
• Elon had 12 runs came across in the seventh inning alone with the Phoenix capitalizing on NJIT mistakes throughout the bottom half. Elon loaded the bases with no outs before Vergantino singled again to bring home one. Mallory Jr. would follow that up with a grand slam to put Elon at 20 runs on the night and give Mallory Jr. the second home run of his Elon career. Four of the next five batters would be hit by a pitch before McCammon singled home a run and Will Vergantino would finish off the barrage with a grand slam of his own.
• The final inning and a half only saw one hit and no runs scored as the final tally would read Elon winning the ballgame, 27-8.

 
NOTES AND STATS
 

• Hudson Narke made his first career start for the maroon & gold. Narke pitched three innings while giving up three earned runs.
• Will Vergantino was the story with his career night at the plate. Numerous individual records were broken for Vergantino with career highs in hits (5), runs scored (6), home runs (2), and RBIs (7) for the redshirt junior.
• The seven RBIs by Vergantino are the most since Luke Stephenson knocked in seven runs as well against Stony Brook in 2023.
• Vergantino last homered against High Point on March 29, 2022.
• Kenny Mallory Jr. finished with a career high five RBIs. He tops his previous record of four set last year against USC-Upstate. Mallory Jr. also claimed his second career home run with his first coming against the Northeastern Huskies during the 2023 season.
• Charlie Granatell recorded his sixth multi-hit game in a row and extended his hitting streak to 10 consecutive games. Granatell his now batting an even .600 and now has 10 RBIs to go with it.
• Tanner McCammon made a splash in his first career start. McCammon finished 3-for-6 with three RBI and four runs scored.
• Ryan Sprock recorded another multi-hit game. Sprock finished two-for-four with three RBIs and a run scored. He joins Granatell for the team lead in RBIs.
• Itai Spinoza earned his first career save following three innings in relief to close out the game.
• Tate Ostrowski earned the win following two solid innings of relief and adding one strikeout.
• The 27 runs are the most runs by the Phoenix at Latham Park. The previous record of 24 was done three times, most recently against NC State in 2013.
• The run tally is the second highest in program history. The highest ever is still the 29-run outing against Appalachian State in Boone during the 2005 season.  

 
UP NEXT
 

• The Phoenix will return to Latham Park for the rubber match of the three-game series with NJIT. First pitch on Sunday is scheduled for 1 P.M.