MT. PLEASANT, S.C. – Despite a career-high 11 strikeouts from junior Anna Dew, the Elon softball team fell in extra innings at College of Charleston, 2-1, on Friday in the opening game of a three-game series at Patriots Point.
 
The Phoenix (11-24, 5-5 CAA) battled the Cougars (18-21, 8-5 CAA) until Charleston secured a walk-off win in the bottom of the eighth inning. It marked the second straight CAA series opener that Elon played into extras following a 3-1 setback last week versus Campbell.
 
In the Circle

• Dew was dominant in the circle despite taking the loss, dropping to 7-8 on the year. The Harrisburg, N.C., native recorded her third double-digit strikeout performance of the season while allowing nine hits and two runs.

 
At the Plate

• Elon recorded seven hits in the contest, led by Reili Gardner, who went 2-for-3 for her best performance of the season.
• Teagan Baulsir drove in the Phoenix's lone run on a double, increasing her team lead to 16 RBI. Jenna Klein added a double, her third in the past two games.
• The Phoenix struck out eight times while drawing just one walk and left eight runners on base.

 
The Rundown
Charleston opened the scoring in the bottom of the second inning. The Cougars led off with a single and moved into scoring position on a stolen base. A groundout advanced the runner to third before she scored on a single to give the hosts a 1-0 lead.
 
The Cougars threatened again in the third. Dew retired the first two batters via strikeouts before Charleston extended the inning with a single. A stolen base and a wild pitch moved the runner to third, but Dew induced a groundout back to the circle to end the threat.
 
Elon tied the game at 1-1 in the top of the fourth. Klein led off with a double to left and advanced to third on a groundout. With two outs, Baulsir worked a full count before lining a single into shallow left to score Klein.
 
The Phoenix had a chance to take the lead in the seventh. Payton Swart drew Elon's lone walk to open the inning and moved to second on a wild pitch. Mauri Murray later reached on a single and was replaced by Brooke Camacho as a pinch runner. Both runners moved into scoring position with one out after another wild pitch, but Charleston escaped the jam with back-to-back strikeouts.
 
Dew sent the game to extras with a 1-2-3 seventh inning. In the eighth, Chloe Hatzopoulos singled through the left side with one out, but was stranded as the next two batters were retired.
 
Charleston capitalized in the bottom half. The Cougars placed a runner on with one out via a walk. Dew recorded a popup for the second out, but Charleston delivered a double to right-center field to bring home the winning run from first and secure the 2-1 walk-off victory.
 
On Deck
The Phoenix returns to the diamond on Saturday for game two of its series against the Cougars. Game time is scheduled for 3 p.m.