ELON, N.C. – The Elon University softball team is set to host College of Charleston for a three-game CAA series this weekend, April 4-6. The opening game of the series between the Phoenix (17-14, 9-3 CAA) and the Cougars (18-19, 9-3 CAA) is scheduled on Friday at 5 p.m. at Hunt Softball Park.
 
WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Friday, April 4 – 5 p.m.
Saturday, April 5 – 2 p.m.
Sunday, April 6 – 1 p.m.
 
FOLLOW THE PHOENIX
• Live stats will be available for the series by going to the team's schedule page at elonphoenix.com.
• The series 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
• Elon leads the all-time series over Charleston, 37-34, going back to 1999. The Phoenix is 18-15 all-time at home versus the Cougars.
• The Phoenix swept the Cougars last season in its series on the road. Elon won the opening game last, 9-2, before taking a 14-6 verdict in the second game. The series closed out with the Phoenix earning a 13-2 victory in five innings and extending its win streak to seven games over the Cougars. Offensively, Elon batted .378 in the three-game set versus the Cougars while scoring 36 runs with 33 RBI while having a .622 slugging percentage and a .517 on-base percentage.
• The last time two teams played in Elon in 2023, both teams split the first pair of contests with the Phoenix taking game one, 9-0. McKenna McCard and Kaitlyn King combined for a no-hitter in that contest. The Cougars however rebounded with a 9-1 victory in the second game to level the series. The finale however was called due to rain and unplayable field conditions.
 
LAST TIME OUT
• The Phoenix is coming off a road series at Delaware this past weekend. Elon fought valiantly in the series, but the Blue Hens took two out of three over the Phoenix on their home diamond.
• Delaware won the first game, 9-1, in six innings, but the Phoenix tied the series with a 5-4 victory in the second game to set up the rubber match. In the finale, Elon overcame an early 2-0 deficit to tie the contest and send the game into extra innings, but Delaware came away with a 3-2 win with a walk-off in the bottom of the eighth.
• Three players (with at least five or more at bats) batted over .300 in the series in Mary Moss Wirt (.400), Kaitlyn Wells (.375) and Gabi Schaal (.333). Wells and Schaal tied for the team-lead with two RBI each.
 
AROUND THE HORN
• Elon is tied for first in the CAA standings with four other teams (Campbell, Charleston and Delaware) with its 9-3 record. The Phoenix also carries an eight-game home win streak going into the weekend.
• As a team, Elon is batting .288 while scoring 176 runs with 27 home runs and 149 RBI. The Phoenix ranks fourth in the CAA in doubles (38) and is second in the league in home runs. The Phoenix ranks third overall in the CAA in slugging percentage (.444) and is only one of seven teams to convert a triple play this season in the NCAA.
• Kaitlyn Wells leads the Phoenix with her .389 batting average. The senior is the Phoenix's leader in home runs with nine, which is second in the CAA. The Roswell, Ga., native is also second in the league in slugging percentage (.779), OPS (1.238) and RBI (31) while ranking fourth in the CAA in hits (37).
• Greta Hessenthaler is second with her .378 batting average and is third on the squad with 34 total hits. The Liberty, N.C., native extended her reached base streak to 30 games after the Delaware series ranks eighth in the CAA in on-base percentage at .477.
• Allee Seering is third on the squad with her .340 average and is second on the team in hits with 35. The senior has three homers with 20 RBI while ranking in the top-10 of the CAA in total hits.
• Gabi Schaal is fourth in the CAA in RBI with 26 and has 124 in her career, one shy of tying for second all-time in school history. The Lakeland, Fla., native also has 33 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 200.0 innings of action. The Phoenix hurlers have accounted for 131 strikeouts compared to 117 walks.
• McKenna McCard leads the Phoenix in innings pitched at 53.2 while posting a 2.87 ERA with a 6-3 record and 44 strikeouts. Taylor Cherry is second with 44.1 innings of action and is second to McCard in strikeouts with 34. Cherry also has one of the Phoenix's two saves on the year along with Isley Duggins.
 
SCOUTING CHARLESTON (18-19, 9-3 CAA)
• The Cougars head into the weekend on a five-game winning streak after earning a 4-2 over their intrastate foe Coastal Carolina on Tuesday. Charleston swept Drexel in its last league series at home to improve to 9-3 during CAA play.
• Offensively, CofC is batting .257 with six homers, 109 RBI with 27 doubles and 136 runs scored. The Cougars have posted a slugging percentage of .327 with an on-base percentage of .325.
• Three players in the Cougars' normal lineup are hitting .300 or better in Kennedy Rhue (.342), Jay Wrightsman (.315) and Austy Miller (.301). Wrightsman has a team-high 35 hits and is 18-of-19 in stolen bases. Junior Sierra Paradis leads the team with two home runs and 18 RBI.
• In the circle, Charleston has a cumulative ERA of 4.11 in 240.1 innings while accounting for 138 strikeouts versus 89 walks. Six players have seen time toeing the rubber for the Cougars in 2025 with freshman Mackenzie Mathis leading the staff in innings (88.1), wins (six) and strikeouts (76). She also has a 3.09 ERA on the season.
 
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
• The Phoenix travels to Drexel next weekend, April 11-13, for its next CAA series.