ELON, N.C. – The Elon University softball team closes out a four-game homestand hosting East Carolina on Tuesday evening, March 25 at Hunt Softball Park. The Phoenix (15-12) and the Pirates (18-12) are scheduled for a 5 p.m. opening pitch.
 
FOLLOW THE PHOENIX
• Live stats will be available for the game by going to the team's schedule page at elonphoenix.com.
• The game will stream on FloCollege (FloSoftball via a paid subscription.
• For more information on the Phoenix, follow the program's social media channels on X (formerly Twitter) or Instagram at @elonsoftball.
 
SERIES HISTORY
• East Carolina leads the all-time series over the Phoenix with a 19-7-1 ledger and has won four straight versus its intrastate rival. Last season, Elon suffered a 9-1 setback at ECU in the most recent game played.
• Elon's last win in the series came in 2022. Then-first-year Taylor Cherry pitched a perfect game as the Phoenix came away with a 1-0 verdict. Cherry struck out 10 batters while being helped with an RBI off a sac fly from Gabi Schaal.
 
LAST TIME OUT
• The Phoenix continued its great start during CAA play, sweeping Monmouth at home this past weekend. Elon secured its third straight league series to improve to 8-1 during league play – its best start ever in the CAA. The wins coupled with a few other results in the league this weekend, place the Phoenix in a tie for first in the standings along with Campbell.
• Elon won the first game of the series, 7-2, before capturing the series with an 8-3 result in the second game. The maroon and gold completed the sweep with an 11-0 victory in the finale on Sunday.
• Redshirt junior Chloe Hatzopoulos had a strong outing versus the Hawks, batting .556 (5-of-9) with a pair of home runs and four RBI. Payton Swart had six RBI on the weekend.
 
AROUND THE HORN
• Elon is tied with Campbell with an 8-1 record to lead the CAA standings. The Phoenix's 8-1 ledger is the program's best through nine games during its fastpitch era (since 1990), with Elon carrying a four-game win streak into Tuesday.
• As a team, Elon is batting .295 while scoring 160 runs with 24 home runs and 136 RBI. The Phoenix ranks fourth in the CAA in runs and doubles (35) and is second in the league in home runs behind Delaware. The Phoenix ranks third overall in the CAA in slugging percentage (.459) and is only one of six teams to convert a triple play this season in the NCAA.
• Greta Hessenthaler leads the team with her .390 batting average and is third on the squad with 30 total hits. The Liberty, N.C., native extended her reached base streak to 26 games this weekend and is third in the CAA in on-base percentage at .490.
• Kaitlyn Wells is second behind Hessenthaler with her .373 batting average. The senior is the Phoenix's leader in home runs with eight and second overall in the CAA. The Roswell, Ga., native is also tied for the league lead in RBI with 28 and is second in the CAA with her .759 slugging percentage. She also ranks third in OPS at 1.201.
• Allee Seering is third on the squad with her .352 average and is tied with Wells for the team-lead in hits with 31. The senior has three homers with 18 RBI while ranking in the top-five of the CAA in total hits.
• Fifth-year Gabi Schaal is sixth in the CAA in RBI with 22 and has 120 in her career, moving into the top-four in school history. The Lakeland, Fla., native also has 31 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 4.62 cumulative ERA this season in 172.2 innings of action. The Phoenix hurlers have accounted for 120 strikeouts compared to 102 walks.
• McKenna McCard leads the Phoenix in innings pitched at 51.0 while posting a 2.20 ERA with a 6-2 record and 43 strikeouts. Cherry is second with 34.1 innings of action and is second to McCard in strikeouts with 29. Cherry also has one of the Phoenix's two saves on the year along with Isley Duggins.
 
SCOUTING EAST CAROLINA (18-12)
• ECU is 18-12 on the season and has a 5-4 ledger in the American Conference. The Pirates are coming off a series loss at South Florida this weekend, where they dropped two out of three. Overall, East Carolina has a 4-5 record on the road this season.
• Offensively, East Carolina is batting .309 while scoring 169 runs with 36 home runs, 147 RBI with a .506 slugging percentage and a .396 on-base percentage. The Pirates rank 32^nd in the nation in home runs per game (1.22) and 33^rd in total homers.
• Five players in ECU's regular lineup are hitting north of .300, including leading hitter Kanisha Anderson and her .439 average. Anderson ranks 30^th in the NCAA in batting average and 32^nd overall in total hits with 43. Three players have 25 or more RBI for the Pirates with graduate student Morgan Johnson leading the way with 27. She is tied for second on the team with eight home runs and is one shy of leader Emma Jackson, who is batting .337 with 26 RBI.
• In the circle, ECU has a 3.40 team ERA in 202.0 innings of action with 166 strikeouts and 85 walks. Kendall Frost has seen the most time toeing the rubber for the Pirates with her 82.2 innings pitched with a 3.73 ERA and a 7-7 record. Taylor Apple is second on the squad with 74.1 innings tossed and has a 3.11 ERA with a team-high 75 strikeouts.
 
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 travels to Delaware for a CAA showdown next weekend, March 28-30. The series will stream on FloCollege (FloSoftball).