WILMINGTON, N.C. – A complete-game shutout from junior Anna Dew and timely hitting led the Elon softball team to a 2-0 win at UNCW in its CAA series opener on Friday at Boseman Field.
 
Elon (10-18, 4-0 CAA) remained unbeaten in league play while earning its first win at UNCW (15-12, 3-1 CAA) since 2022. The victory also marked the 599th career win for Phoenix head coach Kathy Bocock.
 
In the Circle

• Dew threw her sixth complete game of the season and her second shutout to improve to 7-4. The Harrisburg, N.C., native scattered four hits and struck out four batters in the contest.

At the Plate

• Elon recorded six hits, with Chloe Hatzopoulos and Payton Swart combining for four. Both players went 2-for-3 at the plate.
• Hatzopoulos connected on her team-best third home run of the season and the 29th of her career. She also recorded her eighth multi-hit game of the year.
• Swart notched her sixth multi-hit game of the season and scored her team-best 15th run.
• Teagan Baulsir drove in a run and added a double. Greta Hessenthaler accounted for Elon's other hit.

The Rundown
UNCW mounted the first threat in the bottom of the second inning. The Seahawks moved runners into scoring position with two outs following a wild pitch, but Dew induced a groundout to escape the jam.
 
Elon broke through in the top of the fourth. Hatzopoulos, facing an 0-2 count, battled back and launched a solo home run over the left-field fence to give the Phoenix a 1-0 lead.
 
The Seahawks threatened again in the bottom half of the fourth. A one-out double followed by a single and a stolen base put two runners in scoring position. Dew worked out of trouble with a lineout to second and a groundout to shortstop to keep UNCW off the board.
 
Elon added an insurance run in the top of the seventh. Swart singled to right center with one out and later scored on Baulsir's double to right, just beating the throw home. The Phoenix had another runner reach third with two outs but left her stranded after a strikeout.
 
Dew closed out the game by retiring the Seahawks in order in the seventh, securing the 2-0 victory.
 
On Deck
Game two of the series is scheduled for a 3 p.m. start on Saturday. The game will no longer be streamed on FloCollege.