BOONE, N.C. – The Elon softball team continued to work its way out of the 2012 Southern Conference Softball Championship consolation bracket after blanking host team Appalachian State, 4-0, today, May 11, at Sywassink/Lloyd Stadium. The seventh seeded Phoenix is now 24-26 on the season after eliminating the fifth seeded Mountaineers (22-25).
Erin O’Shea (16-14) pitched her sixth complete game shutout of the season, giving up just two hits and striking out four of the 26 batters she faced. Caitlin Wainright (6-11) gave up three runs off two hits in her two innings in the circle to take the loss.
Elon sent three balls over the fence in the game to make it five home runs for the maroon and gold so far in this year’s tournament. Danielle Lafferty went 2-for-3 at the plate with one run and two RBI. Carleigh Nester, Tomeka Watson and E. O’Shea all added hits to the board for the Phoenix as well.
The Phoenix got things going in the bottom of the second off a two-out two-run homer to center by Lafferty. Lafferty’s home run, her sixth of the season, also scored Kaitlyn Piazzolla who had drawn a walk with one out.
ASU threatened in the top of the third with the bases loaded. With two outs, Sarah Warnock was hit by a pitch, followed by a bunt by Megan Rembielak that left her safe at first and advanced Warnock. Meghan Smith then drew a walk to load the bases for the Mountaineers best hitter, Allie Cashion. E. O’Shea got Cashion to strike out swinging and sent the inning into the bottom of the frame.
Nester then put Elon’s third run of the game on the board in the bottom of the third with a solo shot to right field for a 3-0 Phoenix lead. The hit marked her fifth homer of the season and second of the tournament. The Mountaineers then made a pitching change, replacing Wainright with Riley Carter. Camille Hill, Watson and E. O’Shea all drew walks to load the bases with no outs, however, the Phoenix were not able to push any more runs across the plate that inning.
In the bottom of the fifth, Watson made it 4-0 for the Phoenix with a one out solo homer to left field, her seventh of the year.
Elon will play College of Charleston tonight at 5 p.m. in another elimination game. If the Phoenix wins, it will play the loser of this afternoon’s Georgia Southern/Chattanooga game at 11 a.m. tomorrow, May 12.