ELON, N.C. — In his second career start, Elon pitcher Lucas Bakker fanned nine over seven innings to pace the Phoenix to an 11-1 victory over the visiting Wagner Seahawks at Latham Park on Saturday afternoon.
Bakker (1-0) scattered eight hits and allowed just one run while not walking a batter in earning his first victory for Elon (4-1). Three Elon pitchers combined to fan 11 and issue just one walk on the afternoon.
“He’s (Bakker) off to a good start,” said Elon skipper Mike Kennedy. “He’s got good stuff. Offensively, when guys leave, others have to step in to those roles. Casey (Jones) was the main one today. I think up and down the lineup, we’re deeper than a year ago.”
Wagner (0-2) opened the scoring in the top of the fist when Nick Mascelli scored on a wild pitch. From there, Wagner would have multiple runners reach base in an inning just three times.
The Phoenix immediately answered Wagner’s opening tally by plating three runs in the last of the first. A one-out single by Sebastian Gomez (3-for-5, two runs, one RBI) was followed by a hit batter and a walk to load the bases. Casey Jones (3-for-4, three RBI) delivered Elon’s first two runs with a double to the gap in right-center. The final run for the maroon and gold in the first came on Tyler McVicar’s sacrifice fly.
Elon extended its advantage in the fourth, scoring four runs with the assistance of two Seahawk errors. The frame began with an error and a sacrifice bunt. A Quinn Bower (2-for-5, one run, two RBI) single put runners at the corners for Gomez who reached on an infield single. That play would end up allowing two runs to score as Wagner tried to throw Bower out at third, but threw the ball away allowing him to score. Danny Lynch (1-for-3, one run, one RBI) and Jones would then add run-scoring singles.
Another four-run inning, this time in the seventh, put the game out of reach. After the first two hitters of the inning were retired, Elon pounded out six consecutive hits, including RBI singles from D.J. Paone (1-for-3, one run, one RBI) and Andy Moore (2-for-3, one run, one RBI) and a two-RBI double off the bat of Bower.
The loss went to Wagner’s Matt Morris who was charged with seven runs (four earned) on eight hits in 3.2 innings of work.
Elon will look to complete the three-game sweep of Wagner at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday afternoon at Latham Park.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Wagner 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 8 2
Elon 3 0 0 4 0 0 4 0 X 11 15 2
Win – Bakker (1-0)
Loss – MORRIS, Matt (0-1)
Save – None.
Umpires – HP: Mike Cafaro 1B: Larry Sorrell 3B: Kelly Culp
Start: 2:00 pm Time: 2:35 Attendance: 471
Weather: 62 deg., Cloudy, Winds: SSW4