WILMINGTON, N.C. – The Elon University softball team took an early lead over UNCW, but a couple of early costly errors by the Phoenix led to the Seahawks tying the game before claiming a 4-3 victory and the series in a Colonial Athletic Association rubber match on Sunday, April 24, at Boseman Field.
Elon dropped to 25-21 on the year and 8-7 in the CAA standings. The Phoenix, who entered today’s contest just a game behind Delaware for second in the CAA standings, falls to fourth while the Seahawks improve to 27-19 and 6-8 in the league. The maroon and gold, who entered the weekend with a seven-game winning streak against UNCW, loses back-to-back games to the Seahawks for the first time since the 2000 season.
The 15-inning affair is the longest game in school history for the Phoenix and ties for the longest game of the season in Division I softball in terms of innings as Wilmington also had a 15-inning bout earlier in the year versus Columbia on March 18, also in Wilmington. Today’s contest was however nine minutes longer as the official game time was four hours and 18 minutes.
At the Plate: Both teams were tied with 13 hits apiece…Five Phoenix players had multi-hits on the day with Alaina Hall leading the way with three base knocks…Elon had a runner reach base in all but three innings…Hall added a team-high two RBI while Ashtyn Foddrell added the other on her solo home run in the second…Kara Shutt had two hits on the day as both went for doubles improving her total to 18 on the year and tying for the second-best mark in school history in a single-season…Both teams left 16 runners on base and were a combined 5-for-30 with runners in scoring position…The Phoenix’s four through six hitters were a combined 2-for-19 in the contest.
In the Circle: Senior Kayla Caruso (8-6) took the tough loss in the circle for the Phoenix…The Kennesaw, Ga., native tossed 9.2 innings and gave up only one run while striking out a career-best eight batters…Elise Walton started the game and went only 3.0 innings while giving up a run, unearned, with a strikeout while Kiandra Mitchum pitched 1.2 innings and allowed two runs, both unearned…The two teams combined to throw 483 pitches with Caruso handling 167 of those.
The Rundown: Foddrell’s solo home run in the top of the second opened the scoring for the Phoenix. The rookie from Warrenton, Va., took a one-out, 3-1 pitch from UNCW starter Sarah Davis and sent it over the left field wall for her second homer of the season. After a strikeout induced the second out of the inning, Emily Cameron reached on a single up the middle and moved to third on Shutt’s double to right center, advancing the pair into scoring position. Hall’s two RBI single brought them in to push Elon’s advantage to 3-0.
A few Phoenix miscues led to UNCW getting a run back in the bottom of the third. Kelsey Bryan drove a one-out single to third base and moved to third on another single by Merritt Wilkinson. A throwing error enabled Bryan to cross home plate to put the Seahawks on the scoreboard trailing the Phoenix 3-1.
An error-plagued bottom of the fifth led to the Seahawks tying the game at 3-3. After retiring the first two batters of the inning, Elon allowed Bryan to reach on an error then saw her advanced to second on a passed ball. A single down the left field line by Wilkinson drove her in to pull UNCW within one, 3-2. Wilkinson herself advanced to second on the play after a fielding error before scoring the tying run off a Hannah Adamczyk single to right center.
The game would go into extras as the Phoenix had a great opportunity to plate the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth. Both Shutt and Hall opened the inning with a double and single, respectively, before Hall stole second to bring both into scoring position with no outs. UNCW escaped the jam however as the next three Phoenix batters went down in order.
The Seahawks came 60 feet away from walking off in the bottom of the 10th. Wilkinson drove a one-out single to the pitcher and was joined by Adamczyk and Ashley Best after they were walked and hit-by-pitch, respectively, to load the bases. Elon however got out of the bases loaded jam as Hall caught a fly ball in left on the next at bat and threw out the runner trying to advance home to complete the double play.
Elon managed to only get one more runner to reach scoring position in the remainder of the game. After the Phoenix went down in order in the top of the 15th, UNCW was given a free pass to lead off the home half of the frame. A bunt single through the right side moved runners to the corners before Elon recorded its first putout. After another runner reached after a fielding error to load the bases, the Seahawks plated the winning run on a walk to win the game, 4-3.
On Deck
Elon welcomes Atlantic Coast Conference foe Virginia Tech to Hunt Softball Park for a midweek game on Wednesday, April 27. That game begins at 7 p.m.