ELON – Despite a second consecutive quality start from Tommy Mitchell, the Elon baseball team (17-25, 8-15 CAA) suffered its second straight defeat to UNCW (24-18, 12-8 CAA) Saturday. The Phoenix dropped the Saturday contest, 5-1.
Tommy Mitchell had the best start of his collegiate career against the Seahawks. Mitchell allowed just one earned run over seven innings and at one stretch retired 13 straight hitters.
Jackson Alford finished his afternoon with a season-high four hits. Alford doubled and singled three times in the loss.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• UNCW jumped out in front early with two unearned runs in the top of the first.
• After the opening frame, Tommy Mitchell settled in. Starting in the second inning, Mitchell registered four straight, three-up three-down innings.
• In the bottom of the fifth, Elon cut into the deficit. Due to some heads up baserunning, Jake Hajdu was able to steal home while Alford juked his way out of a pickle.
• The Seahawks opened up the game in the top of the eighth with three runs to take a 5-1 advantage.
• Elon was able to put a number of runners on base in the final to frames but could not bring across a run.

 
QUICK HITS

• Tommy Mitchell went a career-high seven innings on Saturday. Mitchell used just 79 pitches to get through his outing and retired 16 batters via the groundout.
• Sam Nomura pitched the final two innings and allowed just two baserunners and one hit.
• Jackson Alford put together a four-hit day at the plate. Alford doubled and singled three times in the loss.
• Jared Hall doubled in the first inning to extend his reached base streak to 15 games.
• Jake Hajdu finished 1-for-3 with a steal of home on Saturday.

 
UP NEXT
Elon returns to Latham Park tomorrow. First pitch between the Phoenix and UNCW is at 1 p.m.