North Carolina A&T 5, Elon 4
Elon 7, North Carolina A&T 1
GREENSBORO, N.C. – The Elon University softball team got back in the win column today, May 2, after splitting a doubleheader at North Carolina A&T. The Aggies (13-32) won the first game, 5-4, before the Phoenix (21-23) took the second game, 7-1.
Game 1
Carleigh Nester started the first game off with a single to third and then stole second. After both Camille Hill and Tomeka Watson drew walks, the bases were loaded for Erin O’Shea who singled to left to score Nester. With one out, Johanna Spencer hit the ball to third for a fielder’s choice that left Hill out at home. However, in an attempt to get Spencer out at third after the out, Watson was able to score and put the Phoenix up 2-0.
The Aggies responded with three runs in the bottom of the frame. A double by Detavia Kenan scored the first run, while a single by Sabrina Edmonds scored the other two to put A&T up 3-2.
A&T added two more runs in the bottom of the fifth to take a three-run advantage. Alexandra McAfee scored as Kenan reached on an error by Elon’s Sarah Little. After Cailtin O’Shea replaced starter Kari Pervell in the circle, Kenan scored off a single to center by Sabrina Edmonds to put the Aggies up, 5-2.
The Phoenix responded quickly in the top of the sixth to pull within one run, 5-4. Sarah Little hit a leadoff single to centerfield and was then brought home on a two-run bomb to center by Morgan Wright.
Elon had a chance to take the game in the top of the sixth with the bases loaded. Hill had hit a leadoff single up the middle, Watson had reached on an error by the Aggies’ third baseman and Wright had drawn a walk. However, the Phoenix was not able to push a run across the plate and fell by a final of 5-4.
The win went to Ashira Dobison (12-18) who pitched the complete game, allowing four runs of eight hits. Pervell (2-3) took the loss after giving up four earned runs off six hits in 4.1 innings of work.
Hill recorded two hits in her three at-bats, while Wright accounted for two RBI in her one appearance at the plate.
Game 2
Elon was in good position to score in the first inning after Nester hit a one-out double down the left field line and stole third. Watson then singled to the pitcher on a bunt and stole second to put two runners in scoring position. E. O’Shea then drew a walk to load the bases, but the Phoenix was not able to put any runs on the board and moved into the bottom of the frame.
The Phoenix got hot in the top of third with three runs. McKenzie Harrelson drew a leadoff walk and then advanced to second on a bunt to first that also found Nester safe at first. A sacrifice bunt by Watson moved the two runners to second and third, followed by a fielder’s choice that allowed Harrelson to score and let E. O’Shea reach first and move to second. Little then hit a one-out double up the middle to score Nester but E. O’Shea was called out at home for the second out of the inning. Wright scored Little on a double to left center to make it a 3-0 lead for the maroon and gold. After a single through the left side by Danielle Lafferty, the Aggies changed pitchers, putting Dobison in the circle for McAfee, who recorded the final out.
In the top of the fourth, Ali Ford reached to start the inning on an error by the pitcher. After Harrelson advanced Ford to second, a bunt by Watson put runners on the corners, while Watson then stole second. In an attempt to get Ford out at third, a throwing error by Aggies’ catcher Edmonds allowed both Ford and Watson to score and give the Phoenix a five-run advantage, 5-0.
Elon made it 7-0 in the top of the fifth off a home run by Kaitlyn Piazzolla. Lafferty drew a one-out walk to reach before the homer to center by Piazzolla to put two more runs on the board.
The Aggies put a run on the board in the bottom of the sixth to make it a 7-1 game off a one-out double to right center by Edmonds. Edmonds’ hit scored Kenan who had reached on a single to left.
Chelsea White (1-1) pitched the complete game to earn the first win of her collegiate career. The freshman gave up one run off four hits and struck out seven. The loss went to McAfee (1-14) who went 2.2 innings after allowing three runs off five hits.
Elon will close out the regular season by returning home for the first time in 11 games with a three-game set against College of Charleston beginning at 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 5. Sunday, May 6, will mark Senior Day for the program’s three seniors – Lafferty, E. O’Shea and Piazzolla.
Charleston Southern 3, College of Charleston 0
College of Charleston 7, Charleston Southern 3
MT. PLEASANT, S.C. – The College of Charleston softball team split its Wednesday afternoon doubleheader with Charleston Southern at Patriots Point with a 0-3 loss in the opener and 7-3 retaliation in game two.
The Cougars outhit the Buccaneers in both games but were kept off the scoreboard in the opening game by stranding 10 base runners. The second game saw the Cougars utilize clever base running and timely hitting to explode for seven runs and a convincing victory.
Mackenzie Maples led the way offensively for the Cougars in going 4-for-6 with three RBIs between the two games. Kelsey Hodgson and Ashton Jarrett also had four hits on the day.
Stephanie Saylors was tagged with the game-one loss despite pitching 6.2 innings without surrendering an earned run.
Hope Klicker earned the game-two victory after going the distance and striking out five hitters.
GAME ONE: CofC: 0, Charleston Southern: 3
The Cougars outhit the Bucs, 10-9, but doomed themselves by leaving 10 runners stranded, six of which got to scoring position. The Cougars were also struck with misfortunes which got two runners picked off of third base on a pair of quirky plays.
Saylors silenced the Bucs through 5.2 innings but a seemingly harmless two-out single in the sixth proved costly when Linzy Rother doubled deep into the gap in left center to score the games’ first run.
The CofC defense faltered in the seventh when a fielding error extended the inning and Jessica Brock and Megan Lombard made the Cougars pay with back-to-back RBI doubles.
GAME TWO: CofC: 7, Charleston Southern: 3
The Cougars were sharper in the second game with aggressiveness and awareness on the base paths combined with timely hitting resulting in their most run output since playing South Carolina State in early April. All of CofC’s starters got on base at least one time in the game.
The Cougars got started right away when Carly Corthell was hit by a pitch as the leadoff hitter, stole second base and scored on Maples’ RBI single.
CofC loaded the bases with their first three hitters of the second inning by way of a double from Amanda Lonergan, single by Vaughn and walk by Kristy Giragosian. CSU looked to get out unscathed with two quick outs but Jarrett slapped a grounder to her opposite field and out of the reach of the third baseman to plate two runs. Corthell had reached on a fielder’s choice in the inning and later scored on a wild pitch to make the score 4-0.
The Bucs took one back in the third but the Cougars hung up three more in the fourth to put the game further out of reach. Courtney Clark walked in the inning and Jarrett legged out a bunt single before Maples singled to score both runners. Hodgson singled in the inning and stole home from third base on a failed pickoff maneuver.
CSU scored two runs on four hits in the fifth but would get no closer as Klicker put down their remaining six hitters in order to close out the victory.
The Cougars head to Elon for their final three-game series of the regular season on Saturday, May 5 and Sunday, May 6.
CofC will then embark for Boone, N.C., for the Southern Conference Championships beginning on Wednesday, May 9 on the campus of Appalachian State.