Elon Softball Shuts Out N.C. A&T, 3-0

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Junior Catilin O’Shea tossed her first shutout of the year to help the Elon University softball team to a 3-0 win at North Carolina A&T on Wednesday, April 9, at the Lady Aggie Softball Complex.

The Phoenix (20-18-1) defeated the Aggies (13-17) for the second time this season and extended its win streak to five versus N.C. A&T. O’Shea (6-10) was brilliant in the circle as the Kennesaw, Ga., native allowed only two hits with a pair of strikeouts in the complete game win.

Elon senior Lauren Oldham and freshman Emily Roper provided the offensive firepower for the Phoenix with both going 1-for-3 at the plate. Roper led the way with two RBI while Oldham drove in one for the Phoenix’s first run of the game. The maroon and gold have five hits overall against Aggies’ starter Janika May (6-8).

Oldham drove in the first run of the game in the top of the second. The infielder from Pittsboro, N.C., drove in junior Aly Quintana, who had reached earlier on a single through the left side, from second base with a two-out double to left center and gave the Phoenix the early 1-0 lead.

Elon added to its lead in the top of the third. Ali Ford and Carleigh Nester reached on singles before Roper drove both home on a single to left. The Phoenix ended the frame with a 3-0 lead over the Aggies going to the bottom half of the inning.

In the bottom of the fourth, North Carolina A&T recorded its lone hits on the day. After O’Shea induced the first two outs of the frame, the Aggies’ Tiffany Macklin singled to left field to break the no hitter. Jax Kaye Woodard followed with a single to single to center field, giving the Aggies a runner in scoring position. Elon would force the final out of the inning on a fielder’s choice.

The Phoenix had an opportunity to drive in another run in the top of the fifth. Alaina Hall was walked to lead off the inning and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Nester. A passed ball with two outs moved her to third, but she would be stranded as the Phoenix flied out to end the inning.

Neither side generated much offensively from the bottom of the fifth through the sixth inning, with O’Shea and May quickly going through the order of both teams. Hall would reach on a two-out double in the top of the seventh, but the Phoenix could not move her as the inning turned to the bottom half after a Elon pop up to the shortstop.

O’Shea however got the first two batters she faced in the final frame to ground out to the shortstop before recording the final putout with a fly out to center to clinch to 3-0 win.

Elon returns home and to Southern Conference play this weekend, hosting Appalachian State in a three-game series beginning on Saturday, April 12, with a doubleheader at 1 p.m. Saturday is also the program’s Pink Game as the team will wear its pink jerseys in support of breast cancer awareness.

                        1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
   Elon                 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 3 5 0
   North Carolina A&T   0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1

Win – O’Shea (6-10).
Loss – MAY,J (6-8).
Save – None.

Umpires –
Start: 4:30 pm Time: 1h 27m Attendance: 79
Weather: 64 degrees, sunny