Elon, N.C.- The Elon Phoenix (21-31, 10-16 CAA) and College of Charleston Cougars (38-12, 20-5 CAA) played a back-and-forth game that will go down as one of the wildest Latham Park has seen. Charleston took the win in 11 innings by the score of 8-6.  
 
Will Vergantino finished off his senior day with his second multi-homer game of the season. A home run in the first inning to start the game then a two-run home run to tie the score in the 10^th began and capped his day.
 
Nolan Straniero put forth his best appearance of the season in his last start. Straniero tied a career best and set a season high in strikeouts with 11. Straniero allowed just five hits over seven innings and walked one batter in his start.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Following an opening inning where Straniero struck out two batters, Vergantino launched a two-run home run to center field to give the Phoenix the early lead.
• Straniero continued to deal against the Cougars with a three-up, three-down inning in the second to go along with a three-strikeout inning in the third.
• The Cougars finally got to Straniero in the fourth on a solo home run to halve the lead at 2-1.
• Following the home run, Straniero retired nine straight batters between the fourth and sixth innings to keep the Cougar offense in check.
• Charleston added two runs on a two-run, RBI single to give Charleston their first lead in the seventh inning.
• Elon, at the plate, continued to struggle to find an answer until Shane Paradine led off the ninth inning. Following a clean inning from Carson Wehner, Paradine took the first pitch he saw over the left field fence to tie the score at one.
• College of Charleston took advantage in the top of the tenth with a three-run home run to grab a 6-3 lead.
• In what seemed like a sure loss, the Phoenix dub in and started to hit. Following a walk to Charlie Granatell, Alex Duffey laced a double down the right field line. After a wild pitch that scored Granatell, Vergantino took a fastball to center field and over the wall to tie the score at six.
• The Cougars would not be denied as they scored two more in the 11^th to claim the CAA outright regular season title with an 8-6 win.

 
NOTES AND STATS

• Nolan Straniero got the start for the Phoenix on the mound. Straniero became the first Phoenix starter, other than Justin Mitrovich, to go seven innings in a start. His 11 strikeouts tied a season high for the Phoenix and it's the fourth time in his career he has struck out 11.
• Carson Wehner tossed a scoreless inning of relief in the loss.
• Liam Dabagian picked up a crucial strikeout in the top of the ninth to keep it at a one run game with runners on second and third.
• Will Vergantino had a great game at the plate. Vergantino finished with three hits, two of which left the yard, and four RBIs. It is his second multi-home run game of the season and his highest RBI total since he tallied seven against NJIT earlier this season.
• Alex Duffey finished the night with three hits as well, including a tenth inning double that set up Vergantino's home run.
• Shane Paradine for the second time this year hit a game-tying home run in the ninth. It is Paradine's sixth home run of the season setting a new single season best.
• With Kenny Mallory Jr. and Charlie Granatell both getting a hit, they become the first Phoenix teammates to both eclipse the 70 hit mark since Ryan Kinsella, Sebastian Gomez and Alex Swin did it in 2013.

 
UP NEXT

• Elon will close out the regular season with a Saturday contest with the Cougars. First pitch on Saturday will be at 1 pm.