Elon, N.C.- The Elon Phoenix (12-21, 2-8) put together a 16-run, 16-hit performance in a Friday night win over the Hofstra Pride (11-21, 3-7) at Latham Park. Elon bounced back after a tough road trip, taking game one of the three-game series, 16-7.
Kenny Mallory put together a four-hit, six RBI night at the plate finishing a triple short of the cycle.
Alex Duffey and
Charlie Granatell both had three-hits with a double a piece.
Justin Szestowicki and
Ryan Sprock both finished with a pair of hits with Szestowicki putting the game out of reach with a two-run home run.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Nolan Straniero got the start for the Phoenix which is his first Friday start of the season. He got out of the first inning with a pair of strikeouts to put away the Pride.
- Elon got out in front early with two runs in the first. Connor Offshack singled home a run while Alex Duffey hit a double to the center field wall, registering 107 miles-per-hour off the bat.
- Hofstra bounced back to tie the score in the top of the second before Elon would grab the lead back in the bottom half.
- Following Szestowicki reaching on an error and a Tank Yaghoubi walk, Kenny Mallory Jr. put three runs on the board with one swing with an opposite field home run.
- Mallory Jr. would help add more runs in the third inning. Following an RBI single from Szestowicki, Mallory Jr. would find the left field grass for a double that would score two more runs. The double gave Mallory five RBIs in the first three innings of play.
- Hofstra got to Straniero again the fourth adding on three runs to have the six-run lead to three.
- The lead became two in the fifth inning, but a crucial double play forced by Liam Dabagian limited the Hofstra damage.
- Elon got two runs back in the bottom of the fifth. Szestowicki put a hanging slider into the left field trees to put Elon at 10 runs on the day and grab a four-run lead.
- The Phoenix blew the game open in the bottom of the sixth inning. Following a Charlie Granatell leadoff double, the Phoenix would bring Granatell around on a hit-by-pitch then added two more runs on an RBI single from Ryan Sprock. Elon brought around three more runs, all via the walk, ending the inning with six runs and a 16-6 lead.
- Hofstra would only counter with a solo home run in the eighth inning before Kolby Pascarelli closed out the contest, preserving a 16-7 Elon win.
NOTES AND STATS
- Nolan Straniero made the first Friday start of his Elon career. Straniero went four innings allowing three earned runs, striking out five and walking none.
- Sam Nomura picked up the win for his two-inning effort out of the bullpen. Nomura allowed a lone hit while striking out a batter.
- Elon pitching struck out nine while walking a single batter in the eighth inning.
- Kenny Mallory Jr. collected a career-high six RBIs in the win. He is the first Phoenix since Garrett Stonehouse in the 2018 season to collect multiple five-plus RBI games in a season. Mallory Jr. also put together his 15th multi-hit performance of the season and his third with four hits.
- Justin Szestowicki put his second career home run in the trees over the left field fence on Friday. Szestowicki finished with a career-high three RBIs and four runs scored.
- Charlie Granatell put together a bounce-back, multi-hit performance. Granatell finished 3-for-6 with two runs scored an RBI.
- Alex Duffey smashed a double to center field in the first inning to extend the early lead. Duffey finished with a three-hit day, scoring twice, and driving in two runs as well.
- Ryan Sprock broke out of his CAA slump with a two-hit evening against the Pride. Sprock singled twice and drove in two runs as well as scoring twice.
- The win Friday marks the third straight win in the series for the Phoenix and marks win number 848 for head coach Mike Kennedy.
UP NEXT
- The Phoenix continues the weekend series and homestand tomorrow. First pitch against the Pride is at 4 pm.
