ELON, N.C. – The Elon University softball team closes out its seven-game road swing on Tuesday, April 22, with a contest at Charlotte. Game time between the Phoenix (25-15, 17-4 CAA) and the 49ers (25-24, 13-8 American) is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Sue M. Daughtridge Stadium.
 
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 ESPN+ via a paid subscription or the ESPN App.
• For more information on the Phoenix, follow the program's social media channels on X (formerly Twitter) or Instagram at @elonsoftball.
 
SERIES HISTORY
• Tuesday will be Elon's first game versus Charlotte since 2019. The 49ers lead the all-time series over the Phoenix, 21-12, dating back to 1998 and have won three straight.
• In the last contest in 2019, the Phoenix fell at Charlotte, 7-2. Ashtyn Foddrell and Morgan Reich led the Phoenix at the plate with two hits each with Reich adding the lone RBI in the contest for Elon and a double.
• Elon's last win in the series came in 2016 with the Phoenix coming away with a 6-5 win at home. The last road victory for the maroon and gold at Charlotte came all the way back in 2013.
 
LAST TIME OUT
• The Phoenix earned its sixth CAA series win of the season and fourth via a sweep with a victory at North Carolina A&T this past weekend. The wins helped Elon clinch a berth for the CAA Softball Championships for the sixth straight season (excluding the 2020 canceled season due to the COVID pandemic).
• Elon won the opening game of the series, 6-1, before earning a 14-1 victory in the second game. The maroon and gold completed the sweep on Sunday with a 9-2 while extending its winning streak to 18 games versus its Piedmont Triad rival.
• As a team, Elon batted .407 versus the Lady Aggies and had eight players hit better than .300. Greta Hessenthaler and Kaitlyn Wells tied the team lead with six hits with Hessenthaler batting .600 with Wells hitting .462. Wells and Chloe Hatzopoulos tied the team-lead with two home runs each with Wells driving in eight RBI for the weekend.
• Elon had a 1.11 staff ERA versus N.C. A&T and recorded 28 strikeouts in the three-game set.
 
McCARD NAMED CAA CO-PITCHER OF THE WEEK
• Senior McKenna McCard was named the CAA Co-Pitcher of the Week as announced on Monday afternoon. It is the first CAA weekly award for McCard this season and the third overall for the Phoenix in 2025.
• McCard struck out a career-high 15 batters versus N.C. A&T in the opening game of the series last Friday. The Ashburn, Ga., native allowed no earned runs in the complete-game effort while posting Elon's highest strikeout total since Erin O'Shea also had 15 in 2011. The 15 strikeouts are also the most in a single-game this season in the CAA.
 
AROUND THE HORN
• Elon is tied for second in the CAA standings with Delaware with its 17-4 record as both squads remain a game behind Campbell with six league games to go heading into the week.
• As a team, Elon is batting .304 while scoring 246 runs with 37 home runs and 206 RBI. The Phoenix ranks third in the CAA in runs scored and is second in the league in home runs. The Phoenix sits second overall in the CAA in slugging percentage (.461) and is only one of eight teams to convert a triple play this season in the NCAA.
• Kaitlyn Wells leads the Phoenix with her .408 batting average. The senior is the Phoenix's leader in home runs with 14, which is second in the CAA. The Roswell, Ga., native leads the CAA with 49 RBI and is also second in the league in slugging percentage (.815) and OPS (1.277). She is also fourth in the CAA in batting average and hits (47). Wells set the single-season school record in RBI versus the Lady Aggies last weekend, surpassing
• Greta Hessenthaler is second with her .388 batting average and is third on the squad with 47 total hits. Allee Seering is third on the squad with her .358 average and is second on the team in hits with 49. The senior has three homers with 25 RBI while ranking in the top-10 of the CAA in total hits.
• Elon's pitching staff has posted a 4.05 cumulative ERA this season in 242.0 innings of action. The Phoenix hurlers have accounted for 181 strikeouts compared to 141 walks.
• McCard leads the Phoenix in innings pitched at 73.1 while posting a 2.20 ERA with a 9-3 record and 66 strikeouts. Taylor Cherry is second with 60.1 innings of action and is second to McCard in strikeouts with 41 while posting a 2.55 ERA. Cherry also has one of the Phoenix's two saves on the year along with Isley Duggins.
 
SCOUTING CHARLOTTE (25-24, 13-8 AMERICAN)
• Charlotte has won two straight coming off its American series win versus UTSA this past weekend. The 49ers head into Tuesday's contest with a 10-8 record on its home diamond this year.
• Offensively, the 49ers are hitting .283 overall with 268 runs scored along with 55 home runs and 235 RBI. Three players in Charlotte's normal lineup are hitting north of .300 with redshirt junior Jenna Lord headlining the squad with her .416 average, 20 home runs and 56 RBI. She has also legged out 10 doubles on the year, tying for second on the squad with Teagan Ritchie and behind team-leader London Dirks with 11.
• In the circle, the 49ers have posted a cumulative ERA of 5.30 with three arms mostly seeing time toeing the rubber. Brooke Bowling leads the team in innings (121.1), wins (12) and strikeouts (84) with a 5.08 ERA. Aubrey Yarnail leads the team with 34 appearances with two saves and a 4.49 ERA in 96.2 innings.
 
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, Michaela 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 returns to Hunt Softball Park for its final weekend home series, hosting UNCW on April 25-27.