Elon Softball: Mitchum, Phoenix Shutout Knights, 8-0

ELON, N.C. – Junior pitcher Kiandra Mitchum tied her career-high with 11 strikeouts as the Elon University softball team closed out its home tournament, the Elon Phoenix Tournament, with a 8-0 win over Fairleigh Dickinson on Sunday afternoon, March 12, at Hunt Softball Park.

BOX SCORE

The Phoenix (15-8) finished the weekend with a perfect 5-0 record versus the field of Presbyterian, Norfolk State and Fairleigh Dickinson (1-14) at the tournament. Elon also improved to 15-3 at Hunt Softball Park this season and extended its longest win streak of the season to five games.

At the Plate: Elon had nine hits in the game versus the Knights with six players recording at least one hit…Carey Million led the Phoenix from the batter’s box with a 3-for-3 performance, four RBI and a double…Kara Shutt was 2-for-3 with a run scored and a RBI…Million finished the weekend batting .727 (8-for-11) with nine RBI.

In the Circle: Mitchum improved to 8-4 on the season after tying her career-high in strikeouts for the second time this weekend in the complete-game shutout…The Mechanicsville, Va., native allowed four hits and no walks in the contest and finished the tournament with a 4-0 record, 0.31 ERA, a save and 35 strikeouts in 22.1 innings.

The Rundown: It took the Phoenix offense a couple of innings to get going against the Knights. In the bottom of the third, Elon plated four runs to open the scoring in the game. Callie Horn reached on a FDU error and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. Back-to-back walks to Alaina Hall and Shutt loaded the bases before Million cleared them with her double to right center to put the Phoenix ahead 3-0. Million herself crossed home plate off Kristin Hoover’s double down the right field line to increase Elon’s advantage to 4-0.

Elon added a pair of runs in the home half of the fourth. Hannah Olson reached on a single up the middle with two outs and advanced over after Hall received another free pass. Back-to-back RBI singles from Shutt and Million plated Olson and Hall to push Elon’s advantage to 6-0.

The Phoenix concluded the game with the run-rule victory in the bottom of the sixth after tacking on a couple more runs. Jenna Reilly opened the frame on a walk and moved to third after a fielding error on the next at bat. She later scored on Hall’s single to the pitcher with a runner advancing to second on the play. With one out, the Phoenix scored the final tally of the contest off pinch hitter Nicole Graber’s first career hit, an RBI single through the right side. Olson scored to clinch the 8-0 run-rule victory.

On Deck
Elon begins a 10-game road trip beginning with a nonconference contest at in-state rival Charlotte on Wednesday, March 15. That game is scheduled for a 4:30 p.m. opening pitch.