RALEIGH, N.C. — After being delayed two days by a recent storm, the Elon baseball team opened its 2014 season with a 6-5, 10-inning victory over the Cincinnati Bearcats at Doak Field in Raleigh, N.C. The win improved Elon to 11-7 in season openers under skipper Mike Kennedy.
Elon (1-0) was led by Casey Jones(Western Guilford High School) and Danny Lynch who both tallied three-hit games. Jones doubled twice and belted the first home run of his career while driving in three runs. Lynch had two doubles, including a walk-off shot to center in the last of the 10th that plated the winning run.
In the 10th, Chris King reached on an infield single and then raced home with the winning run on Lynch’s double.
“It’s an exciting game,” said Kennedy. “I thought we pitched very well. I thought, offensively, we did some really good things and had some really good at bats. We’re very young on that mound, so we’ve got to catch the ball if we’re going to be successful. I like the competitive spirit of this team. I thought we competed very well.”
Elon got on the board in the bottom of the first when Jones doubled home Quinn Bower who had led off the inning by being hit by a pitch and stealing second base. Jones later scored on a Ryan Cooper single to left-center.
After Cincinnati (0-1) got one back in the top of the fourth, Elon plated single runs in both the fourth and the fifth. In the fourth, Lynch raced home on a Nick Zammarelli double. Jones’ homer to left provided the tally in the fifth.
Elon led 5-2 heading to the ninth before Cincinnati put together a two-out rally. Michael Elefante retired the first two hitters of the inning before Will Drake singled to left. A throwing error extended the inning and left two on for Ian Happ who doubled home both runners with a shot to the gap in left-center. He then scored on a Colin Hawk single to knot the game at five.
Making his first NCAA Division I start, Lucas Bakker allowed just one run on one hit over six innings of work. The righty from Australia fanned seven Bearcats, but did not earn a decision.
Elefante (1-0) garnered the victory for the Phoenix. He went 2.0 innings and gave up three unearned runs on four hits.
Taking the loss was Grant Walker (0-1) who allowed one run on four hits in 3.0 frames for the Bearcats.
Elon and Cincinnati will play again on Monday afternoon at 4:30 p.m., also in Raleigh.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 R H E
Cincinnati 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 3 0 5 6 2
Elon 2 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 6 15 4
Win – Elefante (1-0)
Loss – WALKER (0-1)
Save – None.
Umpires – HP: Mike Cafaro 1B: Jeff Francis 3B: Roger Kinley
Start: 4:30 pm Time: 3:03 Attendance: 204
Weather: Sunny, 48 deg., Winds: SW10
That a boy Casey!!!
Congrads to one of the best kids in the sport of college baseball. Coach C