ELON – The Elon softball team continues its break in CAA action this weekend as the Phoenix (7-16) hosts Tarleton State (16-9) and Lehigh (13-7) for a three-game set Friday through Sunday at Hunt Softball Park.
 
WEEKEND SCHEDULE

• Friday, March 13 vs. Tarleton State – 5:30 p.m.
• Saturday, March 14 vs. Lehigh – 4:30 p.m.
• Sunday, March 15 vs. Tarleton State – 12 p.m. 

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SERIES HISTORIES

• Tarleton State: The Phoenix and the Texans will meet for the first time on the softball diamond this weekend. Tarleton State will be the third team Elon has faced all-time from the state of Texas, joining UTEP (2005) and North Texas (2018).
• Lehigh: Elon and Lehigh have met once prior to this weekend, with the two programs last facing each other in 2018 at the USF Series – Michele Smith Spring Break Tournament. The Mountain Hawks won that contest, 3-1.

LAST TIME OUT

• The Phoenix hosted No. 11 Virginia Tech on Wednesday for a midweek contest. The Hokies took an early lead and eventually handed Elon a 14-2 setback.
• Chloe Hatzopoulos had two of the Phoenix's three hits at the plate, going 2-for-3. It was the seventh multi-hit game of the season for the Huntersville, N.C., native and her fourth in the last five games.
• Jenna Klein provided the other hit for Elon as the rookie went 1-for-3 in her second start of the season. The Orlando, Fla., native drove in the lone RBI for the Maroon and Gold versus the Hokies while adding a double to her stat line.
• The Hokies were the fourth ranked team the Phoenix has faced this season, joining No. 14/20 Duke, No. 8/9 Alabama and No. 6/7 Florida State.
• Virginia Tech improved its all-time ledger versus the Phoenix to 7-2, including a 3-0 mark at Hunt Softball Park. 

DEW NAMED CAA CO-PITCHER OF THE WEEK

• Junior pitcher Anna Dew was named the CAA Co-Pitcher of the Week on Tuesday, earning her second career league weekly honor. Dew shared the award with Towson's Olivia Trombley.
• Dew helped the Phoenix to a series sweep in its CAA-opening weekend versus North Carolina A&T. The Harrisburg, N.C., native went 2-0 with a 1.14 ERA in 12.1 innings, striking out 18 batters while holding the Aggies to a .103 batting average.
• Dew tied her career high with 10 strikeouts in the series opener on Friday, earning the complete-game victory. She became the first Elon pitcher since 2018 to record two double-digit strikeout games in the same season.
• In the finale on Sunday, Dew fanned eight more batters in 5.1 innings of relief, allowing just one hit while earning her second win of the weekend. 

AROUND THE HORN

• After its sweep of North Carolina A&T last weekend, Elon is tied for first in the South Division of the CAA standings with Campbell with a 3-0 record. The Phoenix will be the lone team on a bye from league action this weekend.
• Elon is slashing .233/.324/.337 on the season with 84 runs scored, 32 extra-base hits and 68 RBI.
• Hatzopoulos is hitting a team-high .354 among the Phoenix regulars. The redshirt senior is batting .571 (8-for-14) over her last five games and leads Elon with 23 hits and 11 RBI.
• Teagan Baulsir is second to Hatzopoulos in batting average (.254) and RBI (nine). She has also drawn a team-high 13 walks, while Lani Wyrick is next with 10 free passes.
• Wyrick leads the Phoenix in stolen bases, going 8-for-8 on the year. The sophomore ranks third in the CAA in total defensive assists (48) and assists per game (2.18).
• Dew leads Elon in innings pitched (53.0), ERA (3.30), complete games (four) and strikeouts (58). Her strikeout total ranks second in the CAA, while the Harrisburg, N.C., native is third in the league in strikeouts per seven innings (7.8).
• Elon is in its 49th season of competitive softball, the program's 37th fastpitch season and 27th at the Division I level.
• Head coach Kathy Bocock is in her 15th season leading the Phoenix. The winningest coach in program history, Bocock has 361 wins at Elon and 596 career victories across 29 seasons as a head coach.

SCOUTING TARLETON STATE

• Located in Stephenville, Texas, the Texans are 16-9 on the season after splitting four contests at the San Marcos Showdown last week. Tarleton State will play Lehigh in Greensboro early Friday before facing the Phoenix.
• Last season, Tarleton State posted a 36-22 record, including a 16-8 mark in the Western Athletic Conference. This year, the Texans were tabbed as the 2026 favorite to win the WAC.
• The Texans are in their sixth year at the Division I level after transitioning from Division II. Prior to the move, Tarleton State was a member of the Lone Star Conference with notable programs such as Angelo State, Texas A&M–Kingsville and reigning 2025 Division II national champion UT Tyler.
• Offensively, Tarleton State is hitting .345 with eight regulars batting above .300. Mikayla Wilson holds a team-high .419 average with teammate Hayden Fox close behind at .417.
• In the circle, the Texans have a cumulative staff ERA of 5.37 in 159.0 innings with 98 strikeouts and 93 walks. Sophomore Shelby Schultz, who was named the 2026 WAC Preseason Player and Pitcher of the Year, leads the team in wins (four), ERA (3.17), saves (two), innings pitched (35.1) and strikeouts (26).

SCOUTING LEHIGH

• Located in Bethlehem, Pa., Lehigh is 13-7 on the season after splitting a doubleheader at UMBC on Wednesday. The Mountain Hawks will play a pair of games versus Tarleton State and another contest versus UNCG in Greensboro before facing Elon on Saturday.
• The Mountain Hawks are coming off a 28-24 record in 2025, including a 13-5 mark in the Patriot League. This season, Lehigh was predicted to finish third in the 2026 Patriot League preseason poll.
• As a team, Lehigh is hitting .321 with 136 runs scored along with 13 home runs and 124 RBI. Two players – Kelly Fricker and Peyton Sward – are tied for the team lead with a .435 average. Fricker also leads the Mountain Hawks with 20 RBI.
• Five players have taken turns in the circle for Lehigh this season, combining for a staff ERA of 4.31 in 128.1 innings with 83 strikeouts and 67 walks. Addison Moorman has a team-low ERA of 3.53 among pitchers with 20 or more innings pitched. Madison Finnerty has struck out a team-high 37 batters. 

PRESEASON PRAISE

• Elon had three players named to the 2026 Preseason All-CAA Team, as announced by the league office on Jan. 27. Chloe Hatzopoulos, Greta Hessenthaler and Kayla Wilson earned preseason recognition, while the Phoenix was also selected as the favorite to win the league's newly formed South Division.
• Hatzopoulos returns as Elon's leader in home runs (11), runs scored (41) and RBI (34). The Huntersville, N.C., native batted .295 last season, earned All-CAA Second Team honors and was named to the league's All-Tournament Team after returning from injury. The redshirt senior claimed one of four outfield spots on the preseason team.
• Hessenthaler provides another key returning offensive presence after earning All-CAA First Team honors as a sophomore. The Liberty, N.C., native batted .354 while starting at second base, scoring 38 runs and recording 56 hits, including seven doubles. She also paced the Phoenix with 32 walks, added two triples and reached base safely in 34 consecutive games.
• Wilson earned Preseason All-CAA honors as a utility/non-pitcher after being named to the league's All-Rookie Team last season. The Graham, N.C., native batted .319 in 32 games with three doubles and eight RBI, highlighted by a game-winning RBI single in Elon's 5-4 victory at Delaware.
• Coming off its first-ever CAA Tournament championship, Elon was selected as the South Division favorite with four first-place votes and 23 points. Campbell finished second with 20 points and one first-place vote, followed by UNCW (17), Charleston (15, one first-place vote), N.C. A&T (8) and Hampton (7).

ON DECK

• Elon begins a four-game road trip at East Carolina next Tuesday. Opening pitch between the Phoenix and the Pirates is scheduled for 5 p.m. 

STAY POSTED

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