MT. PLEASANT, S.C. – Behind a pair of home runs and 12 total hits, the Elon University softball team took its CAA series opener at College of Charleston on Thursday evening, March 28, with a 9-2 win at Patriots Point Athletic Complex.
 
The win improved the Phoenix's ledger to 11-21 on the season while evening its league mark to 5-5. It was also the maroon and gold's first true road win of the season.
 
Charleston falls to 8-20 while holding a record of 2-8 in CAA play.
 
AT THE PLATE
• Elon's 12 hits tied for the most in a single game this season while adding its third multi-homer game of the year.
• Megan Grant led the Phoenix at the plate by going 3-of-4 at the dish for her fifth multi-hit game of the season. The Vinton, Va., native also added a double and scored two runs.
• Reagan Hartley and Carley Davis both had a pair of base knocks in the game with Davis adding a double and two RBI to her stat line. Kaitlyn Wells drove in a team-high three RBI while adding her second homer of the season. Gabi Schaal also connected on a home run, her fifth of the season.
 
IN THE CIRCLE
• Taylor Cherry received the win in relief, improving to 4-3 on the season.  The redshirt sophomore pitched 4.2 frames and allowed two runs with four strikeouts.
• Starter McKenna McCard held the Cougars to one hit in her 2.1 innings of action. She also struck out three batters.
 
THE RUNDOWN
• Elon got off to a fast start in the top of the first. Hartley reached on a one-out single and stole second to advance to scoring position. A single to right field by Mauri Murray moved her to third, but an errant throw on the play allowed her to plate the first run of the game. Murray herself would score on Davis' double to right center as Elon took a 2-0 advantage.
• The Phoenix added three more runs to the scoreboard in the top of the third thanks to home runs by Wells and Schaal. With a runner on with two outs, Wells took the first pitch she saw over the right center wall, homering second time in as many games as the two-run blast put the maroon and gold ahead 4-0. Schaal followed with her solo round tripper on the next at bat as she gave the Phoenix a 5-0 cushion.
• Another three runs would cross the dish in the top of the fourth for the Phoenix. Davis drove in a run on an RBI single with the bases loaded while a free pass to Allee Seering pushed another run home. Wells added her third RBI of the day as she reached on a fielder's choice as Elon took an 8-0 advantage.
• Charleston broke the shutout in the bottom of the fourth. Elon retired the first two batters of the inning, but the Cougars stayed alive on a single with the runner moving to second on a wild pitch. Another single drove her home and CofC joined the Phoenix on the scoreboard down 8-1.
• The Cougars added another run in the bottom of the sixth. CofC reached on a one-out triple before scoring on an RBI single up the middle, cutting the Phoenix's lead to six, 8-2.
• Elon however responded to get that run back in the top of the seventh. Grant doubled with two outs to right center before Hartley was able to get a single down to score her and put the Phoenix back up by seven, 9-2.
• Cherry tossed a three up, three down inning in the bottom of the seventh as the Phoenix secured the 9-2 win.
 
ON DECK
Elon returns to the diamond tomorrow afternoon, March 29, to play the Cougars in a rematch at 3 p.m. Game time is scheduled for 3 p.m.