Elon Women’s Softball Wins Season Opener Over UNC Wilmington, 8-3

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. – Behind a five-run third inning and four RBI from senior Lauren Oldham, the Elon University softball team earned an 8-3 win in its season opener over UNC Wilmington on Saturday, Feb. 8, at Buccaneer Field at the Charleston Southern Tournament.

Junior pitcher Chelsea White picked up the complete game win for the Phoenix (1-0), who improved to 6-3 all-time against UNCW (0-1). White allowed three runs on five hits, but also fanned four batters on the afternoon.

Oldham went 2-for-4 at the plate with her four runs driven in. Freshman Alaina Hall paced the Phoenix in hits after going 3-for-4 with a run scored. Seniors Ali Ford and Carleigh Nester also went 2-for-4 on the afternoon and scored a run each.

After the first two innings went scoreless, Elon exploded its first runs of the year in the top of the third. Hall led off with a bunt single and advanced to second after Nester also reached on a bunt. Hall scored on a throwing error by the catcher from third to give Elon a 1-0 lead. Ford then drove in Nester on a single to left field to push the Phoenix’s advantage to 2-0.

Elon added another run after freshman Carey Million drove in Ford on a sacrifice bunt to move the Phoenix ahead, 3-0. Oldham then hit a two-out single to right center to add a pair of runs to the scoreboard for the maroon and gold and a 5-0 cushion moving into the bottom of the third.

After a scoreless bottom of the third and top of the fourth, UNCW finally got the scoreboard in the bottom half. Nella Chamblee blasted a one-out, two-run home run into left field to give trim UNCW’s deficit to three. Elon quickly recorded the final two outs to escape the inning.

The Seahawks added another run in the bottom of the fifth as Brittany Gamby hit a one-out solo home run into left and pulled UNCW within two, 5-3. Elon was able to settle down and record the next two outs, with White striking out Casey Shue to end the inning.

The Phoenix attempted to add more to its lead in the top of the sixth with two outs after Hall and Nester reached on singles. The two would be stranded on the next at bat to end the threat, but the Seahawks went down in order in the bottom half of the inning.

Elon added insurance to its lead in the top of the seventh. Sophomore Emily Cameron reached on a single up the middle and advanced to second on a fielding error on Johanna Spencer’s at bat. After Cameron and pinch runner Jenna Reilly moved to second and third, respectively, Aly Quintana hit a two-out single up the middle and advanced on the throw, scoring Cameron.

Oldham followed with a single to left that drove in Reilly and Quintana to give Elon an 8-3 lead after the top of the seventh. White struck out the first two batters in the bottom half before Gamby grounded out to end the game.

Elon is scheduled to play Maryland Eastern Shore in its next two games before concluding the tournament against host Charleston Southern on Sunday.

                     1  2  3  4  5  6  7  R   H  E
   Elon              0  0  5  0  0  0  3  8  11  0
   UNC Wilmington    0  0  0  2  1  0  0  3   5  5

Win – White (1-0)
Loss – Rowland (0-1)
Save – None.
Umpires –
Start: 11:45 am
Time: 2:00
Attendance: 115
Rowland faced 5 batters in the 3rd.