ELON, N.C. – A go-ahead two-run home run from Kaitlyn Wells in the fourth inning helped the Elon University softball team to a 9-1 CAA series-opening victory over Hampton on Friday evening, April 19 at Hunt Softball Park.
 
The win improved Elon to 17-25 on the season while giving the maroon and gold an 11-8 ledger in the CAA. Hampton fell to 15-26 overall and 6-13 in league play.
 
IN THE CIRCLE
• McKenna McCard had another stellar game in the circle for the Phoenix, allowing no earned runs in her complete-game effort. The Ashburn, Ga., native allowed three hits and struck out five batters while improving to 9-5 on the season.
 
AT THE PLATE
• Wells was the lone Elon player with multiple hits in the game as the Phoenix as a team tallied six overall. Wells went 2-of-3 at the plate while driving in three RBI in the game. Greta Hessenthaler had an extra-base hit as the freshman added her sixth double of the season.
 
THE RUNDOWN
• Elon scored the first run of the contest in the bottom of the opening frame. The Phoenix loaded the bases with one out before Allee Seering drew another free pass to push the first run across for Elon. The maroon and gold left the bags full however as a popup and a strikeout ended the inning.
• Some Phoenix miscues led to the Lady Pirates tying the game in the top of the third. Elon retired the first two batters via strikeouts in the inning, but Hampton got a double down the left field line to keep the frame alive. The runner advanced to third off a passed ball before an error enabled Hampton to knot the game at one-all.
• The Phoenix retook the lead in the bottom of the fourth. Hessenthaler led off with a double to right field before Kaitlyn Wells homered to right as the two-run hit put the Phoenix ahead 3-1. Elon then loaded the bases off a single and a pair of walks before two more runs were pushed across off an error. A sac fly to right by Carley Davis added the fifth run of the frame as the Phoenix took a 6-1 lead after four.
• Elon finished out the game with a three-run bottom of the sixth. Mauri Murray reached on an error before stealing second to move into scoring position. Murray then advanced to third on a single on the next at bat before scoring on a Gabi Schaal single to left. With the bases full and no outs, Elon plated the final two runs of the contest on a grounder to first by Hessenthaler and a fielder's choice from Wells to earn the 9-1, run-rule victory.
 
ON DECK
The series concludes with a doubleheader tomorrow, April 20, with the opening game scheduled for 1 p.m. and the second game to follow at 3:30 p.m. Sunday's game of the series has been canceled due to threat of inclement weather.