Ninth-Inning Rally Sends North Carolina Past Elon Baseball

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — After controlling the first eight innings of the game, the Elon baseball team saw North Carolina rally for three runs in the bottom of the ninth to claim a 5-4 victory over the visiting Phoenix at Boshamer Stadium on Wednesday night.

The loss, which dropped the maroon and gold to 23-14 on the season, was the first for Elon when leading after eight innings this year. The Phoenix had been 23-0 in those situations in 2014.

With Elon leading 4-2 entering the last of the ninth, UNC (22-15) got a bunt single to start the frame followed by an error that left men at first and second. A second bunt single and error allowed the first run to score to make it a 4-3 contest with runners on second and third. The Tar Heels then knotted the game at four on a Wood Myers sacrifice fly. After two walks loaded the bases, Landon Lassiter hit a single to center to plate the game-winner.

Elon jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the second when Tucker Norton, who led off the inning with a double, scored on an error. The Phoenix upped its edge to 3-0 in the fourth on a two-RBI single from Nick Zammarelli.

After UNC trimmed the Elon lead to 3-2 in the sixth, the Phoenix came back with one in the seventh as Ryan Cooper picked up the RBI on an infield single.

Casey Jones kept his hitting streak alive, moving it to 23 games thanks to a double in the fifth inning. Cooper was the lone Elon player to have a multi-hit outing, going 2-for-4 on the night.

The Phoenix used a staff day to have nine pitchers work in the game. Jake Stalzer got the start and allowed just two hits in four scoreless innings. The loss went to Ryan Pennell (1-2) who was charged with three runs (two earned) on three hits in one-third of an inning.

UNC’s Spencer Trayner (2-2) got the win by tossing two scoreless innings of relief.

With a brief four-game road swing behind it, the Phoenix returns home to Latham Park for an important Southern Conference series. This weekend, Elon will host Appalachian State for three games beginning Friday at 6:30 p.m.

                    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
   Elon             0 1 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 4 8 2
   North Carolina   0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 3 5 9 2

Win – Trayner, S (2-2). Loss – Pennell (1-2). Save – None.

Umpires – HP: Mike Parnell 1B: Bryant Woodall 3B: Jeff Ellis
Start: 6:00 pm Time: 3:07 Attendance: 1040
Weather: Sunny, 52 deg., Winds: NE 8