HARRISONBURG, Va. – The Elon University softball team fell in its opening game at the 2016 Colonial Athletic Association Softball Championship tournament to Delaware by a score of 8-2 on Tuesday, May 10, at Veterans Memorial Stadium on the campus of James Madison.
In the first official contest of the season between the two programs, Elon (26-24) stayed within reach of the Blue Hens (30-19) throughout the contest. But a five-run top of the seventh by Delaware put the game out of reach as the Phoenix dropped its second overall in a row.
The Rundown: Delaware plated the first run of the game in the top of the fourth. Anna Steinmetz won a nine-pitch at bat against Phoenix starter Kayla Caruso with a one-out, solo home run to center field. It was the 14th homer of the season for the CAA Rookie of the Year and put the Phoenix in a 1-0 deficit.
The Blue Hens added to its advantage in the top of the fifth. Lisa Stacevicz reached on a one-out double to left center before she crossed home plate on a two-run home run to left center by Hannah George. The two-spot made the score 3-0 as the Phoenix faced an uphill battled going to next inning.
A five-spot in the top of the seventh by the Blue Hens seemingly put the game out of reach for the Phoenix as Elon trailed 8-0 going into the bottom half. The Phoenix finally plated its only runs of the game on a two-run home run by Erica Serafini, but Elon was unable to generate any more offense and fell 8-2 in the tournament opener.
At the Plate: The Phoenix had only two hits in the contest with Serafini and Kara Shutt accounting for those totals…Delaware had 14 hits on the afternoon…The home run for Serafini was the second of the year for the rookie from Tampa, Fla.
In the Circle: Caruso (9-7) was saddled with the loss after 4.1 innings with six hits and three runs allowed…She also had three strikeouts in the game and walked only one batter.
On Deck: Elon plays the loser between No. 2 Towson and No. 3 College of Charleston tomorrow, May 11, in a elimination game at 5 p.m.