Rising Phoenix 4/20/2024 3:00:00 PM by Cameron McGuire

Rising Phoenix: Vergantino Produces Another Clutch Hit In Victory Over Monmouth

ELON, N.C. – Many athletes shy away from the high stakes moments of a ballgame. Many athletes are not Will Vergantino.

Throughout the 2024 baseball season, Vergantino has had to step up in make-or-break situations for the Phoenix. On Friday night against the Monmouth Hawks, he came up to bat with two outs and two runners in scoring position in the bottom of the eighth inning.

After relinquishing a lead in the top of the eighth inning, the bleachers of Latham Park were full of fans ready to erupt if given the opportunity. A walk from Connor Offshack and a single from Alex Duffey raised the mood of the crowd before the crucial two-out plate appearance for Vergantino.

"It's a big at-bat, it could be the make-or-break of the game," Vergantino said. "I was just trying to breathe, slow my breathing down, really relax and look for what I want."

The first two pitches Vergantino saw both missed the plate which put him ahead in the count. The next two each caught the plate as the count got knotted at two balls and two strikes.

The crowd rose, hoping to urge Vergantino to a clutch base hit. Monmouth pitcher Derek Benzinger launched his fifth pitch with the crowd on its feet. With a pop, the ball shot into left field. The crowd waited with bated breath as the left fielder charged in on the sinking line drive. Despite a diving attempt, the ball landed safely on the outfield grass and skipped away while Offshack and Duffey raced home and Vergantino cruised into second base.

The crowd erupted with cheers and was not shy in its approval. Facing back toward the dugout, Vergantino was not shy about his excitement either, yelling back at an excited Phoenix bench.

"Running down the first base line, Kenny [Mallory Jr.] heard me screaming, 'Get down! Get down!'" Vergantino said. "As soon as it hits the ground, it's the best feeling ever. Helping your team take a lead, there's nothing like it."

The go-ahead double alone would have been a strong day at the ballpark if it was the only accomplishment of his evening. However, Vergantino began his offensive output the same way he ended it: with a bang.

Both offenses were held fairly silent through the first inning and a half of play. Vergantino stepped up to the plate with two outs in the bottom of the second inning, looking to get his team on the board first.

He wasted no time as he swung at the first pitch and launched it beyond the right field wall. The initial home run gave the Phoenix a 1-0 lead and provided an early cushion for his team.

"Coming into this weekend, I've been struggling a little bit getting out on my front side and rolling balls over," Vergantino said. "Knowing we had a soft throwing lefty who likes to live away, my approach was just staying middle away, staying backside and really committing to hitting the ball to right field. I got a first-pitch fastball up and away and I did that, so it feels really good when you execute on your approach."

With the 5-3 victory, Elon has won its fourth consecutive conference matchup and hopes to further its winning streak in the fight back into the top half of the CAA standings.

'Rising Phoenix' is a new student-led initiative to cover Elon Athletics. Through innovative content creation and storytelling, Elon University students will have the opportunity to highlight the moments, people and events that make an impact, leveraging the athletic department's various web and social media platforms for distribution. Follow Rising Phoenix on Twitter (@EURisingPhoenix) and Instagram (@elonrisingphoenix). Interested in joining this initiative as a content creator (video, graphics, writing, storytelling, or more)? Contact Jacob Kisamore at jkisamore@elon.edu.

--ELON--

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

#4 Alex Duffey: C/UTL; 6' 0"; Redshirt Sophomore; L/R

#25 Connor Offshack: 3B; 6' 1"; Senior; R/R

#9 Will Vergantino: SS; 6' 1"; Redshirt Junior; R/R

Players Mentioned

#4 Alex Duffey
: 6' 0"; Redshirt Sophomore; L/R
: C/UTL

#25 Connor Offshack
: 6' 1"; Senior; R/R
: 3B

#9 Will Vergantino
: 6' 1"; Redshirt Junior; R/R
: SS

Players Mentioned

#4 Alex Duffey

#25 Connor Offshack

#9 Will Vergantino

Players Mentioned

#4 Alex Duffey

#25 Connor Offshack

#9 Will Vergantino