Elon, N.C.- Friday night's series opener between the Elon Phoenix (1-4) and the Binghamton Bearcats (1-3) began with five innings of scoreless baseball between the two. However, the damage would be done to the bullpens as the Elon Phoenix bounced back from two-run innings twice but couldn't bounce back from a four-run ninth inning. Elon dropped the series opener, 8-4.
 
Justin Mitrovich shined in his first start at Latham Park. The junior right-hander tossed a season high 99 pitches and struck out eight batters, limiting the Bearcats to two earned runs.
 
The Phoenix bats were filled with doubles as Elon hit five of them on the night with four different players claiming a two-bagger. Jackson Alford finished with two of them while Vince Fattore hit a ringing double off the wall which evened the score at two in the sixth inning.
 
 
How It Happened

• The starting pitchers controlled much of the opening frames with one double being the only offense either team could muster.
• Justin Mitrovich was dominant from the start with his changeup. Mitrovich struck out two of the first three batters he faced, retiring the side in three batters.
• Mitrovich used a trio of strikeouts to take down the Binghamton lineup in the third, working one more than the minimum in the frame.
• In the fourth and fifth Mitrovich worked one more than the minimum and struck out a batter in each inning.
• Binghamton was the first on the board in the sixth inning after a leadoff walk and an infield single, led to a double which brought home the first runner. A bases loaded walk from Nolan Straniero brought in another run to make the deficit 2-0.
• Elon would respond in the bottom half of the sixth. Back-to-back doubles from Jackson Alford and Vince Fattore would provide a spark with Fattore driving in two runs on his double off the left field wall.
• After two more Bearcat runs in the eighth, Elon responded again with timely hitting. After an Alex Duffey double, Alford hit a blooping double to center field to get Elon within a run. A laced single from Tank Yaghoubi in the inning would tie the score at four.
• Binghamton answered the Phoenix rally with four runs in the top of the ninth and would shut the door in the bottom half to win 8-4.

 
Notes and Stats

• The Phoenix drops  to 1-4 on the season following the win over Presbyterian.
• Justin Mitrovich made his second start of the season and shined again. Mitrovich finished with 5.2 innings on the mound, allowed just three hits and struck out eight.
• Jackson Alford delivered another multi-hit game with a pair of doubles. Alford continues to lead the CAA in hits and now shares the lead in doubles.
• Vince Fattore laced a double off the wall and drove in two runs in the loss to Binghamton.
• Alex Duffey doubled for the third time this season in the loss and scored a run.
• Charlie Granatell and Ryan Sprock both collected hits in the top three of the order.
• Tank Yaghoubi hit a game-tying, RBI single in the loss.

 
Up Next
The Phoenix host Binghamton for tomorrow for game two of the series. First pitch with the Bearcats will be at 2 PM.