BUIES CREEK, N.C. – A gem of a performance in the circle from fifth-year Meredith Wells along with some timely hitting helped the Elon University softball team stave off elimination as the second seeded Phoenix defeated No. 1 seed Delaware 3-2 on Friday, May 9, in the elimination round of the CAA Softball Tournament semifinals at Amanda Littlejohn Stadium.
 
The win advances the Phoenix (31-19) to its third league championship appearance, all since 2019. It was Elon's final matchup versus the Blue Hens (38-16) as CAA opponents as Delaware will move to Conference USA beginning next season.
 
In the Circle
• Meredith Wells allowed no earned runs in her 5.0 innings of action, improving to 3-2 on the season. The Daleville, Va., native struck out three batters as she and the Phoenix were able to limit one of the top offensive teams in the CAA.
• Anna Dew pitched the remaining 2.0 innings and earned her second save of the tournament. The sophomore allowed one earned run and had a strikeout in relief.
 
At the Plate
• The Phoenix had six hits in its second game of the day, but came up with some timely hits. Allee Seering went 2-of-3 to lead the Phoenix at the plate and had an RBI in the game. Gabi Schaal added two RBI in the game – setting the program record for RBI in a career with 140.
• Kaitlyn Wells went 1-of-3 in the game and established a new program Division I record for total bases in a season with 122.
 
The Rundown
• The Blue Hens were the first to threaten to put some runs on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first. Delaware had a runner reach on a leadoff hit-by-pitch before moving to third with one out in the inning. The Blue Hens then tried to bait the Phoenix into a rundown between first and second, but the Phoenix defense was able to snuff out the play to tag out the lead runner trying to advance home from third. A strikeout from Meredith Wells would end the threat to close the inning.
• Elon got into another jam in the bottom of the third. Delaware had runners in scoring position with one out after a double. Wells and the Phoenix remained unfazed, inducing the next two outs on a strikeout and a grounder.
• The Phoenix broke the scoring stalemate in the top of the fourth. Seering reached on a leadoff single to left and then advanced to second on a wild pitch. Kaitlyn Wells pushed her to third on a single to left before Schaal drove both runners home on her double to left center, giving the Phoenix a 2-0 lead.
• Elon added an important insurance run in the top of the fifth. Reagan Hartley led off with a single and then moved to second on a sac bunt. A Greta Hessenthaler single gave the Phoenix runners at the corners before Seering drove in Hartley to give the maroon and gold a 3-0 lead.
• Delaware started to rally in the bottom of the sixth inning to cut into the Phoenix's advantage. The Blue Hens scored off a passed ball and an RBI single to make it a one-run game, 3-2, going to the seventh.
• Elon was retired in order in the top of the seventh, giving the bat back to the Blue Hens with the heart of their order coming up. Dew, however worked the induced all three outs in order, striking out the first batter and forcing fly outs on the next two batters to secure the 3-2 win with the save.
 
On Deck
• Elon faces host and No. 4 Campbell in the championship round tomorrow, with the first game beginning at 12 p.m. An Elon win in the first game would force a winner-take-all contest between the Phoenix and the Camels for the CAA championship, which would take place immediately after the first contest.