ATHENS, Ga. – The Elon University softball team closed out its games at the Bulldog Invitational on Saturday, Feb. 14. The Phoenix suffered a tough 3-2 setback at the hands of SIU-Edwardsville followed by a 10-0 loss to host No. 9/10 Georgia in its finale.
The Phoenix (2-0) returns home on Wednesday, Feb. 18, to host Campbell in a single game at Hunt Softball Park. The contest is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m.
SIUE 3, Elon 2
Elon fell to the Cougars in the first game of the day, 3-2. SIUE scored all of its runs in the bottom of the second inning as the Cougars had a batter reach on a one-out double to left field and was driven in on a two-out, two-run homer to put them up 2-0. The following batter singled and crossed home plate on a triple by the next hitter, giving SIUE a 3-0 advantage.
Elon responded with its two runs in the top of the third. Carey Million led off with a double followed by a single from Aly Quintana, which moved Million to third. The Phoenix saw its next two batters go down on strikes and a pop up, but Quintana advanced to second on a wild pitch. Alaina Hall drove both Million and Quintana in on a single, pulling the Phoenix within one, 3-2. Hall advanced to second the throw and was joined on the bases by Kara Shutt who was walked. A passed ball moved the pair into scoring position, but Elon left them stranded as a grounder to the third basemen ended the inning.
In the top of the fifth, Elon had another chance to add more runs to the scoreboard. Hannah Olson singled with one out and moved to second on another single by Hall. The Phoenix had the bags full with two outs after Emily Roper drew a hit-by-pitch, but the Cougars struck out the next batter to end the threat.
The Phoenix kept the Cougars at bay in the bottom half setting SIUE down in order. Senior Caitlin O’Shea, who relieved starter Kiandra Mitchum in the third inning, retired her sixth consecutive batter to move to the sixth.
Million doubled again in the top of the sixth with one out and moved to third on a wild pitch giving the Phoenix the tying run in scoring position. The Elon bats would go down on strikeouts however for the next two outs.
Elon had a final chance in the seventh after Olson led off the frame after receiving a hit-by-pitch. It would end up being the eighth batter left on base for the maroon and gold as the Phoenix went down in order to close the game.
Mitchum (2-2) took the loss after 2.2 innings of work as the freshman gave up three runs on six hits. O’Shea pitched scoreless 3.1 innings in her 2015 debut, giving up one hit with four strikeouts. Hall and Million had two hits each with Million also adding a pair of doubles.
No. 9/10 Georgia 10, Elon 0
The Bulldogs started strong in the second meeting of the weekend between the two teams. The Bulldogs plated four runs to start the game in the bottom of the first and took an early 4-0 lead.
Georgia continued to push runs on the board in the bottom of the second, adding three more to its lead to go up 7-0 over the Phoenix.
Elon got its first and lone hit of the game in the top of the third as Quintana singled to right field to lead off the frame. The Phoenix bats went silent as Georgia set down the next three hitters in order.
Georgia moved up to an 8-0 lead before the Phoenix had its first runner in scoring position in the fourth inning. Sarah Little drew a two-out walk and moved to second after Emily Cameron also received a free pass. Elon attempted to move both players into scoring position on a passed ball, but the Bulldogs threw out the runner at third ending the inning.
The Bulldogs increased its lead to 10-0 in the bottom of the frame and set the final score as Elon went down in order in the top of the fifth to end the game.
O’Shea (0-1) suffered the loss in the circle for Elon after giving up eight runs, five earned, on eight hits in two innings. Fellow senior Chelsea White also went two innings and gave up two runs, one earned, off five hits.