ELON, N.C – Junior Aly Quintana hit the go-ahead three-run home run in the bottom of the fourth to help the Elon University softball team to a 7-2 victory over North Carolina Central on Wednesday, April 23, in a non-conference match at Hunt Softball Park.
Quintana’s homer in the fourth frame broke a 2-2 tie and moved the Phoenix (22-23-1) past the Lady Eagles (7-32), improving its mark to 7-0 all-time versus its in-state rivals. Quintana led the way at the plate after going 2-for-3 with three RBI and two runs scored. She also continued her stellar play defensively, recording three putouts along with three defensive assists.
Junior Chelsea White (10-7) was given the win after pitching 4.0 innings and while giving up two runs on six hits with a strikeout. Caitlin O’Shea relieved White in the top of the fifth and went 3.0 scoreless frames with a strikeout for her second save of the year.
Elon found itself in an early 2-0 deficit after the top of the third. N.C. Central’s Dominique Wilson connected on a two-out, two RBI single to left center, scoring London Germ and Angelique Perricelli, who had reached on singles earlier in the inning.
The Phoenix responded in the bottom half of the third to tie the game. Quintana started the charge with a single down the left field line, the maroon and gold’s first hit of the day. She would be driven in on a two-run home run by Grace Eng to knot the game at 2-2.
After White set the Lady Eagles down in order in the top of the fourth, Elon took the lead for good in the bottom half of the frame. Emily Cameron drew a one-out walk and advanced to second on a single by Emily Roper. After the next batter struck out for the Phoenix, Quintana provided her third home run of the season on a three-run shot to left, putting Elon up 5-2.
N.C. Central led off the top of the fifth with a single to the pitcher, making the Phoenix go with a change in the circle as O’Shea stepped in for White. On the first batter she faced, O’Shea and the Phoenix defense turned a double play after Quintana caught a line drive from London Germ and threw out the runner at first. O’Shea would fan the next batter to end the inning.
Elon tacked on another run in the bottom of the fifth after Cameron drew a bases loaded walk, scoring Carey Million. The Phoenix would leave all three base runners stranded at the end of the inning, but increased its lead to 6-2.
The Phoenix added its final tally in the bottom of the sixth with a single to center field by Carleigh Nester, scoring Lauren Oldham who had reached on an error by the Lady Eagles’ second baseman in the inning.
The Lady Eagles would go down in order in the top of the seventh as the Phoenix closed out its non-conference schedule and improved to 14-9 at home.
Elon hosts its final home series of the year this weekend, April 26-27, as the Phoenix welcomes Southern Conference foe Samford beginning with doubleheader on Saturday at 1 p.m. The Phoenix and the Bulldogs close out the series on Sunday at 1 p.m. as the program honors its six-person senior class of Nester, Oldham, Ali Ford, Johanna Spencer, Amanda Allen and Karen Berna.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
N.C. Central 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 2 8 1
Elon 0 0 2 3 1 1 X 7 5 0
Win – White (10-7). Loss – BOOKER,Londo (5-19). Save – O’Shea (2).
Umpires – HP: Joe Riffle 1B: David Pace
Start: 6 p.m. Time: 2:00 Attendance: 118
Weather: 68 degrees and mostly sunny
White faced 1 batter in the 5th.