CONWAY, S.C. -- The Elon Phoenix raced out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning against the seventh-ranked Virginia Cavaliers in the opening game of the Springmaid Beach Resort Tournament hosted by Coastal Carolina on Friday before the Cavaliers stormed back and claimed a 10-3 victory in the season-opener for both squads.
Elon (0-1) began the game with Jordy Snyder reaching on a Virginia (1-0) error. Adam Weaver's bunt single put runners on the coarners before Robert Rodebaugh delivered Snyder with a single. With one out, a wild pitch advanced the runners to second and third. Chase Austin's single to center plated Weaver and Rodebaugh would later score on a sacrifice fly from Ryan Addison.
After the first hitter in the bottom of the first was retired, Virginia's Brandon Marsh singled to center. Elon starting pitcher Jesse Lewter then hit the next two hitter to load the bases before striking out Brandon Guyer for out number two. The Cavaliers scored its lone first inning run when Lewter plunked Jeremy Farrell with the bases loaded.
Following a scoreless second inning, Virginia closed to within one run at 3-2 when Farrell knocked a two-out single to center that plated Marsh.
The Cavaliers took the lead in the bottom of the fourth, scoring four times. Tyler Cannon led off with a single before moving to second on a sacrifice bunt. Greg Miclat's double down the line in left drove in Cannon with the tying run. Marsh followed with a two-run homer to right-center to put Virginia on top. A Guyer single later in the inning drove in the fourth run of the frame.
Virginia tacked on two more runs in the fifth on an Elon error and then scored two more in the seventh to provide the final margin.
At the plate for Elon, Snyder, Weaver, Rodebaugh, Austin and Mike Melillo each had one hit. Rodebaugh, Austin and Addison each had one RBI for the Phoenix.
Miclat, Marsh and Farrell all knocked in two runs for the Cavaliers. Marsh finished the day with two hits in three at bats and scored three runs while Cannon went 3-for-5 with two runs scored.
Lewter (0-1) took the loss after surrendering six earned runs in 3.1 innings of work. He gave up seven hits, walked two and hit four batters. Lewter struck out one Virginia hitter.
Sean Doolittle (1-0), perhaps the top pitcher in collegiate baseball, settled down after the first inning to earn the victory for Virginia. Doolittle struck out six in 5.0 innings of work and allowed the three Elon runs (one earned) on four hits and a walk.
The Phoenix will play again on Saturday morning at 11:30 a.m. against the host Coastal Carolina Chanticleers. Elon will send sophomore righty Steven Hensley to the mound against Coastal's sophomore righty Bobby Gagg.