Mt. Pleasant, S.C.- In their CAA Championship opener, the Elon Phoenix (24-31) fell in heart-breaking fashion to the Campbell Camels (25-29). Elon dropped their first game in the 2025 CAA Championship, 10-9, in a back-and-forth game that came down to the bottom of the ninth.
 
Charlie Granatell led the Phoenix offensively with a three-hit day at the plate. Granatell hit a game-tying, two-RBI double in the top of the sixth which gave him a share of the career Elon doubles record. Alex Duffey also delivered a multi-hit, multi-RBI game in the loss on Wednesday.
 
 
How It Happened

• Elon found form in the first inning, as they have done all season. Alex Duffey put together a two-run double into the right center gap to give the Phoenix a 2-0 lead early.
• In the second inning, the Phoenix found two more runs. Jake Hajdu himself on base with no outs and two runners on. An error following the hit allowed Will Vergantino to score from third base and give Elon a 3-0 lead. With a runner on third and less than two outs, all it took was a Tank Yaghoubi ground ball to second to bring in the runner from third and give Elon a 4-0 lead.
• The Camels answered back with three runs of their own in the bottom of the second to chip away at the Elon lead.
• Elon responded right back with an RBI single from Vince Fattore the following half inning.
• Four straight runs from Campbell would give the Camels a two-run lead going into the sixth inning.
• Charlie Granatell delivered his 55^th career double in the top of the sixth, which drove in two-runs with two-outs to tie the game at seven.
• Another home run from the Camels gave Campbell a 9-7 lead going into the seventh.
• Elon continued to chip away in the seventh and eighth to tie the score late. An RBI groundout from Jackson Alford brought the Camel lead down to one in the seventh. Elon put runners on in the eighth and with two outs Vergantino battled to a 3-2 count. The graduate hit a line drive that was fielded cleanly by the Camel's second baseman but his throw to first was errant which allowed Elon to tie the score.
• After a clean bottom of the eighth and top of the ninth, the Camels walked it off with a home run to left to take the game, 10-9.

 
Notes and Stats

• Elon falls to 24-31 on the season with the loss.     
• In their last two CAA Championship openers, the Phoenix have lost both games by one run.
• Charlie Granatell finished with a three-hit game on Wednesday. Granatell collected his 55^th career double in the loss which ties him with Whit Bryant for the all-time Elon record in career doubles.
• Alex Duffey finished two-for-four on the night with a single and a double. Duffey drove in a pair of runs in the loss which gives him 50 on the season.
• Tank Yaghoubi finished with a double and single. Yaghoubi also scored two runs in the setback.
• Jake Hajdu finished with a multi-hit game including a double in the loss.
• Will Vergantino scored two runs and stole a base in the opening round game.
• Hank Krift had a strong relief appearance for the Phoenix. Krift faced the minimum in his two innings with two three up, three down innings.
• Five different Phoenix drove in runs while six different Phoenix scored runs in the loss.
• Ryan Sprock and Alex Duffey becomes the first pair of Phoenix hitters to each have 50 RBIs in a season since Ty Adcock and Cam Devanney in 2019.

 
Up Next
The Phoenix continues CAA Championship play against the #5 William & Mary Tribe on Thursday. First pitch between Elon and the Tribe will be at 11 AM.