ELON – Junior Anna Dew pitched her third shutout of the season, while the offense provided timely hits as the Elon softball team defeated Hampton, 8-0, on Friday evening in its CAA series opener at Hunt Softball Park.
 
The win snapped an eight-game losing skid for the Phoenix (12-26, 6-7 CAA) and marked its third run-rule victory of the season. Hampton fell to 8-26 overall and 2-14 in league play.
 
At the Plate

• The Phoenix scored eight runs in the contest, its most since plating nine versus Tarleton State on March 15. Elon recorded eight hits and drew four walks.
• Mauri Murray and Mary Moss Wirt each had two hits to pace the offense. Murray also scored twice, hit her second home run of the season and drove in three runs.
• Lani Wyrick added a pair of RBI, while Greta Hessenthaler also drove in a run.

In the Circle

• Dew (8-9) earned the complete-game win with her third shutout of the year. The Harrisburg, N.C., native allowed two hits and struck out four.
• Her four strikeouts gave her 101 on the season, making her just the 11th pitcher in Elon's Division I history to record 100 or more strikeouts in a single season.  

The Rundown
The Phoenix scratched across the first run in the bottom of the first thanks to a Hampton error. Hessenthaler led off with a walk and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Jenna Klein then hit a ball to third, but an errant throw sailed into the outfield, allowing Hessenthaler to score from second and give Elon a 1-0 lead.
 
Hessenthaler was again in the middle of the action in the second inning. With runners on first and second and two outs, she delivered a single into shallow center just out of the fielder's reach. Payton Swart, who had reached earlier on a single, scored from second to extend the lead to 2-0.
 
Elon continued to apply pressure in the third, loading the bases on a walk to Teagan Baulsir. However, Hampton escaped the inning with a triple play on the next at-bat.
 
The Phoenix added three more runs in the fourth. Elon loaded the bases with one out after Hessenthaler reached on a dropped third strike. Wyrick then drove a single through the right side, scoring Murray and Reili Gardner. Another Hampton error allowed Hessenthaler to come home, pushing the lead to 5-0.
 
Elon ended the game in the fifth via the run rule. Baulsir and Wirt reached on a walk and a single, respectively, before Murray stepped to the plate. The Marvin, N.C., native worked a 2-1 count and connected on her second home run of the season, a three-run shot that secured the 8-0 victory.
 
On Deck
Elon and Hampton return to the field for game two of the series on Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.