CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – A three-run rally in the bottom of the eighth inning erased a 4-3 deficit as the Elon Phoenix eliminated the UNCW Seahawks from the NCAA Charlottesville Regional by a 6-4 score on Sunday afternoon.
The win lifted the Maroon and Gold to Sunday's regional final against sixth-ranked Virginia. Elon will need to defeat Virginia on Sunday and again on Monday to advance to the Super Regionals.
Down 4-3 with two outs in the bottom of the eighth, Elon (34-29) began its rally when Danny Lynch drew a walk. After pinch-runner Blaine Bower stole second, Chris Bresnahan came up with a clutch single through the left side of the infield to knot the game at 4. Quinn Bower followed with a single before a wild pitch advanced both runners into scoring position. Elon's all-time hits leader, Alex Swim, delivered a two-RBI shot up the middle as the Phoenix edged in front, 6-4.
The Seahawks (38-23) never threatened in the top of the ninth as Ryan Pennell retired the side in order to improve to 3-2 on the season. Pennell tossed two scoreless innings to pick up the win.
UNCW began the game with a double to left-center from Michael Bass. Two fly balls later, Bass scored to put the Seahawks on top 1-0.
Elon's half of the second started with a single from Casey Jones and a double down the left-field line off the bat of Antonio Alvarez to put two aboard. Chris King picked up the game-tying RBI with a groundout to second before the Phoenix took a 2-1 lead on a Lynch single to left.
As it did on Friday, the game was building to be a back-and-forth affair as UNCW turned a leadoff walk into a run thanks to a two-out single by Terence Connelly to make it a 2-2 game in the third. The Seahawks threatened for more after a double and a walk loaded the bases, but Ryan LaGrange flew out to right to strand all three runners and end the inning.
With two down in the top of the fourth, a single, walk and error loaded the bases for the Seahawks. UNCW then took advantage of the miscue as Connelly was hit by a pitch to force home the go-ahead run.
The Wilmington lead stretched to 4-2 in the fifth thanks to back-to-back one-out doubles from LaGrange and Corey Dick.
The Phoenix cut its deficit back to one in the last of the fifth, when, with runners on the corners and one out, Alvarez bounced a ball to short that erased the runner from first. Alvarez was running hard down the line and beat the return throw as Sebastian Gomez scored to make it 4-3.
The loss went to Justin Livengood (1-3), who was charged with two runs on two hits without recording an out.
Jones finished the day 3-for-3 with one run scored. Quinn Bower, Alvarez, Gomez and Bresnahan all posted two-hit performances for the Phoenix.