Elon, N.C.- The combination of bullpen pieces and timely hitting helped lift the Elon Phoenix (20-25) to a Wednesday night win over the Longwood Lancers (10-35). The Phoenix took a back-and-forth matchup, 10-9, on Wednesday to finish out their midweek and non-conference contests.
 
Itai Spinoza and Sam Nomura slammed the door on the Lancer offense by allowing just one hit over the final three innings. Spinoza gets the nod with his first win of the season and Nomura adds his first save of the season as well.
 
The top of the Phoenix lineup had one of its best games of the season featuring the new one-two punch of Jackson Alford and Tank Yaghoubi. The two combined to go 7-for-8 at the plate with five runs scored between them. Kenny Mallory Jr. had his best game of the season and finished the game with his second home run of the season as well as three RBI.
 
How It Happened

• Cade Mustard got the start for the Phoenix for the first time in his young career. Mustard retired the Lancers in order in the first and struck out four batters in the first two innings.
• Elon took an early three-run lead thanks to some clutch two-out hitting. With the bases loaded, Elon freshman Henry Wolfe delivered his first career hit with a two-RBI single. Alec Welshans later scored in the inning on a passed ball to give Elon 3-0 lead in the second.
• Longwood responded with six runs in the top of the third to take a three-run lead.
• Elon answered with a pair of runs on a Kenny Mallory Jr., two-run home run to get back to within a run.
• After two more Longwood runs, an RBI triple from Tank Yaghoubi and a sacrifice fly from Ryan Sprock got both runs back.
• Another sacrifice fly from Will Vergantino brought the Longwood lead to one again after the two teams traded runs in the sixth.
• In the eighth inning, the Phoenix took the lead back. Two singles from Alford and Yaghoubi put runners on the corner with no outs. With the bases loaded and one out, Charlie Granatell reached on an infield single to tie the score at nine. Elon added another run when Mallory Jr. beat out a double play ball at first base to drive in the go-ahead run.
• Elon closed the door in the ninth with Sam Nomura earning his first save of the season.

 
Notes and Stats

• Elon improves to 20-25 on the season and 6-6 in midweek games.  
• Jackson Alford finished with a four-hit night at the plate, the first of his Elon career. Alford had four singles on the night as well as two runs scored.
• Kenny Mallory Jr. homered in the Wednesday win. It was Mallory's second home run of the season and the 10^th of his Elon tenure. Mallory also drove in the game-winning run in the eighth inning to help lift Elon over Longwood.
• Tank Yaghoubi collected his first triple of the season as well as a pair of bunt singles on the night. Yaghoubi scored a game high three runs and drove in a run on his triple.
• Henry Wolfe made his first start at catcher and delivered his first career hit with a two-RBI single in the second inning.
• Charlie Granatell collected the 54^th double of his career in the win. Granatell is now one double away from tying the Elon career record in two-baggers.
• Cade Mustard made his first career start and finished his afternoon with five strikeouts. The five strikeouts are tied for the most for a Phoenix freshman in the last two seasons.
• Itai Spinoza tossed 2.1 innings of perfect relief and struck out three. For his performance, Spinoza earned his first win of the season.
• Sam Nomura made his first save of the season in the win over Longwood.

 
Up Next
The Phoenix returns to CAA play this weekend on the road at Hofstra. The three-game set with the Pride begins Friday at 2 PM on Long Island.