Bryan-College Station, Tx.- The Elon Phoenix (0-1) gave the number one team in the nation a scare in their first action of the 2025 season. Justin Mitrovich and the Elon pitching staff held the #1 Texas A&M Aggies (1-0) to just five hits in the Friday night, 4-2 loss.
 
Mitrovich went five innings, surrendering just one hit and no runs while striking out a trio of batters. Nolan Straniero in relief struck out an Elon high five batters and limited the Aggies to a pair of hits in over two innings of work.
 
Phoenix hitters were led by Alex Duffey, whose two-RBI double gave Elon a 2-0 lead in the top of the sixth inning. Kenny Mallory Jr., Will Vergantino, Charlie Granatell and Jackson Alford all reached with base hits in the opening day defeat.
 
How It Happened

• Elon gave the Aggies a scare early in the first. Following a leadoff walk to Mallory and a stolen base by the senior, Will Vergantino reached on an infield single to put runners on the corners, but no run would score.
• Justin Mitrovich began to settle in after allowing two base runners in the opening inning. In the second inning, a ball would not leave the Phoenix infield, and the game remained scoreless.
• Mitrovich retired five straight hitters before giving up his first hit to A&M in the bottom of the fourth. Nothing would come of the hit as Mitrovich collected a strikeout and forced a lineout to retire the side.
• Elon once again threatened in the top of the fifth. After a leadoff walk to Jackson Alford, Alford worked his way into scoring position with a stolen base and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Alford was stranded after a called third strike to end the Phoenix threat.
• Mitrovich would retire the fifth inning with a three up-three down frame and close out his night with 84 pitches.
• The Phoenix would finally strike in the top of the sixth. Mallory and Granatell would both reach and Vergantino would be hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out. After bringing in a lefty to face Duffey, the backstop laced a ball into left center field that would bring home two runs and leave Duffey on second with an RBI-double.
• A&M would answer with a trio of runs in the bottom of the sixth on two bases loaded walks and scored on a wild pitch to take a 3-2 lead after six.
• The Aggies would tack on another run in the bottom of the eighth on a solo home run and hold down the lead from there to take a 4-2 win on opening day.

 
Notes and Stats

• The Phoenix fell to 0-1 on the season following the loss to Texas A&M.
• Elon loses its first opening day game since 2022 in the loss.
• Justin Mitrovich finished with five innings pitched, while allowing just one hit, no runs and striking out three batters.
• Nolan Straniero threw 2.2 innings in relief, surrendering just two hits and striking out five Aggies.
• Kenny Mallory Jr., Will Vergantino, and Jackson Alford all singled and reached base a second time in the loss.
• Alex Duffey collected the first Elon extra-base hit of the season and drove in a pair of runs.

Up Next
The Phoenix and Aggies will play game two of the series tomorrow. First pitch time will be 3:02 EST.