ELON, N.C. – Redshirt junior Chloe Hatzopoulos homered for the second time in as many games as the Elon University softball team defeated Monmouth 8-3 on Saturday afternoon, March 22, for its third straight CAA series win at Hunt Softball Park.
 
Elon (14-12, 7-1 CAA) continues its best start in CAA play while winning its third straight overall and seven out of its last eight contests. The Hawks fell to 9-21 and 5-3 during league play.
 
At the Plate
• Elon had 11 base hits in the contest, its eighth game of the year with double-digit hits. Hatzopoulos was one of four Phoenix with multi-hits in the game, going 2-of-3 at the plate with her sixth home run of the year. She also drove in three RBI while scoring two runs.
• Allee Seering (2-of-4), Gabi Schaal (2-of-4) and Peyton Fitzpatrick (2-of-3) also had two hits on the day. Reagan Hartley drove in a pair of runs, her second multi-RBI game of the season.
• Greta Hessenthaler singled in the game, reaching base for the 25^th straight contest.
 
In the Circle
• Taylor Cherry picked up the win in relief for Elon, going to 2-3 on the season. The Suffolk, Va., native tossed 4.0 innings and allowed one earned run with three strikeouts. Starter Lia Miller allowed two earned runs in 3.0 innings while striking out four batters.
 
The Rundown
• The Phoenix survived getting into a jam in the top of the second inning. Monmouth reached on a one-out walk and advanced to second on a sac bunt. A single moved the runner to third before a stolen base gave the Hawks runners in scoring position, but Miller was able to get out of the inning with a strikeout.
• Elon struck first in its home half of the second to get on the scoreboard. Peyton Fitzpatrick reached on a one-out single before Hatzopoulos added her second home run in as many games to give the Phoenix a 2-0 lead.
• Monmouth responded to tie the game in the top of the third. The Hawks came back with a two-run home run of their own, knotting the game at 2-2. With runners on first and second with one out, the Hawks nearly took the lead on an attempted stolen base, but the Phoenix defensive was able to make the play at the play for the second out. Miller induced the final out on a looking strikeout.
• Monmouth again put pressure on the Phoenix in the top of the fourth, loading the bases with two outs. The Hawks reached on a single, a hit-by-pitch and a walk with the heart of its lineup coming up. Cherry, who took over for Miller at the top of the inning, finagled out of the jam with a popup.
• The Phoenix put up a four-spot in the bottom of the fourth to retake the lead. Gabi Schaal opened with a leadoff double and advanced to third on a single by Fitzpatrick. An RBI single into right by Hatzopoulos drove Schaal across the dish before Monmouth recovered to induce the next two outs. A throwing error by the Hawks allowed Fitzpatrick to score and continue the inning before the fourth run of the frame came across on an RBI single by Seering as Elon led 6-2.
• The Hawks got a run back into the top of the fifth. Monmouth scored on a one-out RBI double into left center to cut the Phoenix's lead in half, 6-3. Cherry would get the next two outs on a ground out and a strikeout to close the inning.
• Elon drove into two more runs in the bottom of the fifth. Reagan Hartley singled into left field, bringing in Fitzpatrick and Lani Wyrick, who reached earlier in the frame on a walk and a single, respectively, as the Phoenix took an 8-3 advantage.
 
On Deck
• The Phoenix is back for game two of the series tomorrow, March 22, with game time scheduled for 2 p.m.