HAMPTON, Va. – The Elon University softball team took an early lead, but saw Hampton score four unanswered runs as the Phoenix fell to the Pirates in extras, 4-3, in the second game of its three-game CAA set on Saturday, March 15 at Pirate Softball Stadium.
 
The setback for Elon (11-12, 4-1 CAA) was its first during league play and its second loss overall to Hampton. The Pirates improved to 8-14 overall and 1-4 in the CAA to setup the rubber match tomorrow.
 
At the Plate
• The Phoenix had seven hits in the game, but only two of those came after the third inning. Peyton Fitzpatrick went 2-of-4 with an RBI to lead Elon at the plate while five others registered one base hit. Gabi Schaal and Mary Moss Wirt also drove in RBI for the maroon and gold with Allee Seering earning a double.
• Greta Hessenthaler went 1-of-2 at the plate, extending her reached base streak to 22 games.
 
In the Circle
• Lia Miller was handed the loss in the circle, falling to 3-1 on the season. The sophomore pitched 3.2 frames in relief as she allowed two earned runs off six hits with a strikeout.
• Starter Taylor Cherry pitched 4.0 innings and allowed one earned run off three hits. She also struck out four batters.
 
The Rundown
• Much like the first game of the series, Elon got off to a quick start offensively in the top of the first. Hessenthaler reached on a lead off walk and advanced to second on a one-out single from Kaitlyn Wells with the Phoenix loading the bases on a walk to Schaal. Fitzpatrick singled to score Hessenthaler, putting Elon up 1-0.
• Elon added two more runs in the top of the third. Seering led off with a double to left center and advanced to third after a fly out to right. Schaal pushed Seering across the plate with a single through the left side to give the Phoenix a 2-0 advantage. The maroon and gold loaded the bases on another Fitzpatrick single and a walk to Chloe Hatzopoulos before Wirt drew a free pass to add the Phoenix's third run of the game.
• Hampton responded with a two-out RBI single to add its first run of the game in the bottom of the third. That cut the Phoenix's lead to 3-1 after three complete.
• Elon got into a jam in the bottom of the fifth. The Pirates had their first two base runners reach on a single and a walk, giving the hosts the tying runs on base with no outs. The Phoenix made a switch in the circle as Miller came on in relief for Cherry and proceeded to strike out the next batter before helping induce a double play to escape harm.
• Hampton trimmed the Phoenix's lead with another run in the bottom of the sixth. The Pirates were able to start the frame with a leadoff double and advanced to third off a sac bunt. An RBI single up the middle brought the score to 3-2, but Elon retired the next two batters via flyouts to move the game to the seventh.
• The Pirates would tie the game in its home half of the seventh. Hampton reached on a leadoff walk and moved the runner to second after a sac bunt. A groundout induced the next out as Elon was one out away from securing the win. Hampton however stayed alive as a passed ball helped the runner move to third where she would score off a triple into right field, tying the game at 3-3 as the game went into extra innings.
• Elon got a base runner on with one out after a walk to Lani Wyrick in the top of the eighth, but the next two Phoenix batters were retired on a strikeout and a fly out to center.
• In the bottom of the eighth, Hampton loaded the bases with one out, putting pressure on the Phoenix defense to prevent a walk-off win. Elon forced the second out on a fielder's choice, but an error on the next at bat allowed Hampton to score the winning run to tie the series with a 4-3 victory.
 
On Deck
• The rubber match between both teams will begin at 11 a.m. on Sunday, March 16. The contest will stream on FloCollege (FloSoftball).