GREENSBORO, N.C. – Senior McKenna McCard set a new career-high with 15 strikeouts as the Elon University softball team earned a 6-1 win at North Carolina A&T to open its CAA series on Friday, April 18, at the Lady Aggie Softball Complex.
 
Elon improves to 23-15 and 15-4 in the CAA standings with its 16^th straight win over its fellow Piedmont Triad rival. North Carolina A&T falls to 10-32 with a 2-17 record in the CAA.
 
In the Circle
• McCard improved to 9-3 on the season after the Ashburn, Ga., native pitched a gem of a performance in the circle for the Phoenix, establishing a new career-high in strikeouts in the complete-game win. McCard allowed five hits and one unearned run against the Aggies.
• McCard's 15 strikeouts are the most for an Elon pitcher since Erin O'Shea also fanned 15 batters in 2011 versus North Carolina Central. The 15 strikeouts are also the single-game high in the CAA this season.
 
At the Plate
• The Phoenix had seven hits as a team with Gabi Schaal (2-of-4) and Mary Moss Wirt (2-of-3) leading the way at the plate. Wirt tied her season-high with two RBI while adding a double to her stat line. Kaitlyn Wells and Chloe Hatzopoulos also added an RBI for the Phoenix.
 
The Rundown
• The Phoenix was able to threaten in the top of the first. Elon loaded the bases with two outs after Teagan Baulsir drew a free pass. She joined Greta Hessenthaler and Gabi Schaal, who both reached earlier in the frame on singles. However, a fielder's choice left the bags full going into the bottom of the second.
• N.C. A&T scored the first run in its half of the first. A Phoenix error helped the leadoff batter reach and moved to third base before she scored on a sac fly to left field to give the Lady Aggies a 1-0 lead. The hosts kept putting pressure on the Phoenix, loading the bases with two outs, but Elon was able to hold them to the one run.
• Elon was able to join the Lady Aggies on the scoreboard in the top of the second. Mary Moss Wirt reached on a single to right and then moved to third after an error. She would score on another error by North Carolina A&T to tie the game at 1-1. The Phoenix then took the lead on the host's third error of the frame, as Reagan Hartley plated the go-ahead run for the maroon and gold. Wells then added another run for the maroon and gold on an RBI single as the Phoenix took a 3-1 lead.
• The Phoenix added another run to its lead in the top of the third. Mary Moss Wirt drove a one-out RBI double into left field, scoring Chloe Hatzopoulos who had reached earlier in the inning on a walk. The run put the Phoenix up 4-1.
• The Lady Aggies loaded the bases in the bottom of the fifth with two outs. N.C. A&T had two runners reach with one out before McCard added her 11^th strikeout for the second out. The Lady Aggies put ducks on the pond off a single, but Elon escaped the jam with a ground out.
• Elon added a pair of insurance runs in the top of the seventh using some small ball tactics. Wells reached on an error to leadoff the inning then moved to second on a single from Gabi Schaal. The pair moved into scoring position on a sac bunt before Wells was able to beat the tag at home off another bunt. Another bunt allowed Schaal to add the second run of the inning, pushing the Phoenix's advantage to 6-1.
• That would be more than enough run support for McCard, as she worked around a Phoenix error to retire the side including striking out the batter for the final out and for the 15^th time in the game.
 
On Deck
• Second game of the series between the Phoenix and the Lady Aggies is scheduled for tomorrow, April 19, with a start time at 1 p.m.