ELON, N.C. – The Elon University softball team travels to Hampton this weekend, March 14-16, for its first CAA road series of the season. The Phoenix (10-11, 3-0 CAA) and the Pirates (7-13, 0-3 CAA) begin the three-game set on Friday at 1 p.m. at the Pirates Softball Stadium.
 
FOLLOW THE PHOENIX
• Live stats will be available for the series by going to the team's schedule page at elonphoenix.com.
• The series will stream on FloCollege (FloSoftball via a paid subscription on Friday and Sunday.
• For more information on the Phoenix, follow the program's social media channels on X (formerly Twitter) or Instagram at @elonsoftball.
 
SERIES HISTORY
• Going into the weekend, Elon and Hampton have faced each other 12 times on the softball diamond going back to 1998. The Phoenix holds an 11-1 advantage all-time over the Pirates. This weekend will also mark Elon's second time visiting Hampton as CAA opponents, with the last time coming in 2023.
• Last season, Elon swept the Pirates in the three-game series, staying undefeated against Hampton at home in the all-time series at 9-0. The Phoenix outscored the visitors 19-6 while slashing .300/.525/.387 with a 1.05 ERA.
• The two teams split their last visit at Hampton in 2023 as the series was reduced to a single-day twin bill due to weather. Elon won the opening game, 9-0, before suffering a 7-4 setback in the nightcap, the Pirates' first-ever win over the maroon and gold.
 
LAST TIME OUT
• Elon hosted Hofstra in its CAA-opening series last weekend at Hunt Softball Park. The Phoenix swept the Pride in the three-game set, earning its first-ever series win at home over Hofstra. It was also the first time the Phoenix swept the Pride in a three-game CAA series.
• The Phoenix slashed .282 / .436 / .364 against the Pride, outscoring Hofstra 21-13. Elon won game one, 9-5, before earning an 8-7 comeback win in the second contest. In the series finale, the Phoenix completed the sweep with a 4-1 win to go to 3-0 to start the CAA season for the third straight year.
• Greta Hessenthaler batted .700 (7-of-10) to lead the Phoenix at the plate. The Liberty, N.C., native also added a double and two RBI to her stat line while increasing reached base streak to 20 games. Chloe Hatzopoulos hit .375 with a home run and two RBI and a double.
• The Phoenix pitching staff had a cumulative ERA of 4.00 in 21.0 frames of action. Taylor Cherry went 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA in 5.2 innings and had eight strikeouts. Isley Duggins and Mckenna McCard picked up the other wins in the series.
 
AROUND THE HORN
• As a team, Elon is batting .268 while scoring 98 runs with 17 home runs and 85 RBI. The Phoenix ranks second in the CAA in home runs, home runs per game (0.81) and has posted a .422 slugging percentage and a .349 on-base percentage.
• Hessenthaler leads the team with her .377 batting average and is second on the squad with 23 total hits. Over her last five games played, the sophomore is hitting .625 (10-of-16) with four multi-hit games including a season-high three base knocks versus Hofstra last Friday.
• Kaitlyn Wells is second behind Hessenthaler with her .365 batting average. The senior is the Phoenix's leader in home runs with six, ranking first in the CAA. She is second in the CAA in slugging percentage (.778) and tied for first in doubles with six.
• Allee Seering is third on the squad with her .353 average while pacing the team in overall hits with 24. The senior has three homers with 13 RBI while ranking in the top-five of the CAA in total hits.
• Fifth-year Gabi Schaal is second in the CAA in RBI and has 116 in her career, moving into the top-four in school history. The Lakeland, Fla., native also has 30 career home runs, the third player in school history to reach 30 or more round trippers behind Elon Hall of Famers, Carleigh Nester (36) and Tomeka Watson (34).
• Elon's pitching staff has posted a 4.99 cumulative ERA this season in 136.0 innings of action. The Phoenix hurlers have accounted for 87 strikeouts compared to 84 walks.
• McCard leads the Phoenix in innings pitched at 36.2 while posting a 2.29 ERA with a 3-2 record. Cherry is second with 26.1 innings of action while Lia Miller is third at 23.0 innings.
 
SCOUTING HAMPTON (7-13, 0-3 CAA)
• Hampton is 7-13 overall on the season and was swept at College of Charleston last weekend in its first CAA series of the season. Going into the weekend, the Pirates have lost five straight with their last win coming versus UMass Lowell on March 1.
• The Pirates are hitting .248 with a .323 slugging percentage and a .334 on-base percentage while accounting for 86 runs with two homers and 65 RBI. Two players in Hampton's primary lineup are hitting .300 or better in Carmynn Bonner (.470) and Kylie Hill (.318). Hill leads the team with 14 RBI while Bonner is second with 12. Bonner also has four triples on the season.
• In the circle, Hampton's pitching staff has a 5.31 ERA in 127.0 innings with 91 strikeouts and 61 walks. Sophomore Angelina Branch and senior Jada Evans have pitched the most innings for the Pirates this season with Evans carrying a team-low ERA of 3.02 in 50.2 frames. She also leads the team in strikeouts with 38 while Branch, who has pitched a team-high 54.1 innings, is second with 35 fanned batters. Both hurlers are tied for the team-lead with three wins.
• Cat Tarvin is in her first season as the head coach at Hampton. Prior to joining the Pirates last summer, Tarvin spent four seasons as the head coach at North Carolina Central. In 2023, Tarvin was named the MEAC Coach of the Year after leading the Eagles 12-7 league record. She earned Most Outstanding Coach honors at the 2023 MEAC Championship as the Eagles claimed their first-ever MEAC Championship. The Eagles earned a bid to the NCAA Softball Regionals in Athens, Ga., another first for the program.
 
PRESEASON PRAISE
• Elon had four members of its program recognized on the 2025 Preseason All-CAA Softball Team as announced by the league office on Jan. 31. Fifth-year Gabi Schaal, senior McKenna McCard and junior Mauri Murray were selected to the Preseason All-CAA Team in their respective positions. Senior Allee Seering was an honorable mention nod.
• Schaal was a Second Team All-CAA choice last season as the Lakeland, Fla, native led the CAA in home runs with 11 and finished third in the league with 38 RBI. She finished in the top 10 of the CAA in slugging percentage (.556).
• Murray was selected to the All-CAA First Team after leading the team in batting average (.361) and slugging percentage (.583). The Marvin, N.C., native notched 52 hits in 144 at-bats while scoring 32 runs with eight homers and 33 RBI while ranking in the top-10 of the CAA in several categories. She also earned NFCA Mid-Atlantic Third Team All-Region honors.
• McCard served as the Phoenix's ace in the circle, leading the Phoenix in appearances (30), starts (21), complete games (11) and innings pitched (122.0). The Ashburn, Ga., native posted a 2.52 ERA while also striking out a team-high 85 batters while posting four shutouts on the season.
• Seering was named to the All-CAA Second Team during her junior campaign last season. The Waxhaw, N.C., native led the Phoenix with 40 RBI and 15 stolen bases and was second on the squad in doubles (12) and hits (49).
 
RETURNING PHOENIX
• Outside of the four preseason All-CAA honorees, the Phoenix returns several key players in 2025, including starters Greta Hessenthaler (second base), Kaitlyn Wells (outfield) and Reagan Hartley (outfield). Hessenthaler was a CAA All-Rookie team choice last season while Wells was third on the team with six home runs. Hartley finished third on the program with 11 stolen bases.
• In the circle, Elon returns 100 percent of its pitching staff last season. Along with McCard, the Phoenix welcomes back the arms of Taylor Cherry, Meredith Wells, Isley Duggins, Michael Hobson, Kyra Leonard, Anna Dew and Lia Miller.
 
CALL HER COACH CAR
• Elon added a familiar face to its coaching staff this summer as Carley Davis begins her first season as an assistant coach on head coach Kathy Bocock's staff in 2025.
• Davis concluded her career with the Phoenix last spring, spending most of her time as a starter behind the plate. She appeared in 197 career games with 194 starts for the maroon and gold and was a two-time All-CAA Second Team selection. A native of Bridgewater, Va., Davis finished her career as Elon's all-time Division I leader in runners caught stealing with 37. This past season, Davis hit a career-best .312 with four homers and 24 RBI.
• Along with Davis, Bocock also made another staff change with the elevation of Sophia Devesa to a full-time assistant and recruiting coordinator after Devesa spent her first season as a volunteer for the Phoenix in 2024. Devesa was part of a staff that helped mentor the Phoenix batters to hit .270 last season, Elon's highest batting average since 2018. The Phoenix's offense was also second in the CAA in runs scored with 252 while its 34 home runs were a league best.
 
2024 RECAP
• Elon finished last season with a 23-29 ledger and a 17-10 mark during CAA play. The 17 league wins mark the most for the program since joining the league as the Phoenix reached the CAA Softball Championships for the fifth straight season (excluding the canceled 2020 COVID-19 season).
• Among the notable accomplishments for the Phoenix last season included Elon head coach Kathy Bocock earning her 300^th career win with the program. Bocock, who is the Phoenix's all-time career wins leader, earned the milestone versus North Dakota State at the Marucci Classic.
• The Phoenix had five players received All-CAA recognition last season. Sophomore Mauri Murray received All-CAA First Team laurels while fifth-year Carley Davis, redshirt junior Gabi Schaal and junior Allee Seering were placed on the league's Second Team. Freshman Greta Hessenthaler rounded out the All-CAA Phoenix honorees with her spot in the All-Rookie Team.
• Schaal also received some hardware for her work both on and off the field as she was named the softball recipient of the 2023-24 Coastal Athletic Association's Leadership and Sport Excellence Award.
• Megan Grant became the program's all-time career leader in walks at the Division I level. The Vinton, Va., native retired after last season with 125 career free passes to her name.
 
ON DECK
• Elon is scheduled to host North Carolina Central next Tuesday, March 18 at Hunt Softball Park. Game time is scheduled for 5 p.m. and will stream on FloCollege (FloSoftball).