Elon Softball to Host Rider, East Carolina in Early-Week Contests

ELON, N.C. – Coming off its first true road win of the season, the Elon University softball returns home to host Rider and East Carolina in some early-week contests at Hunt Softball Park. The Phoenix face the Broncs in a doubleheader on Tuesday, March 17, beginning at 4 p.m. before squaring off against the Pirates the following day, March 18, at 6 p.m.

Live Coverage
Fans can follow the Phoenix via live stats by going to the Elon softball schedule page at elonphoenix.com. Twitter updates will also be provided the handle @elonscores or @ElonUSoftball.

Series History
The Phoenix and the Broncs have only faced each other three times in previous seasons with the maroon and gold winning each contest. The two programs last met 2010 in Elon with the Phoenix earning a 5-1 victory.

Elon and ECU have met 21 times in an all-time series that has dated back to 1998. The Pirates hold a 16-4-1 advantage over the Phoenix and have won six out of the past seven games. The maroon and gold did earn a 6-3 victory over the Pirates at Elon in 2013.

Last Time Out
The Phoenix picked up its first true road win of the season on Sunday, March 15, in a 6-2 victory over former conference and long-time rival UNCG. Elon scored four runs in the top of the fourth inning mostly from a three RBI triple from freshman Kara Shutt. Fellow rookie KIandra Mitchum picked up the win after not giving up an earned up in her 5.2 innings of action.

Scouting the Phoenix (14-6)
The Phoenix sits at 14-6 on the year and has won 11 of its past 13 games. Elon has also played well at home during the year posting a 9-1 record at the home confines of Hunt Softball Park.

Elon is only batting .249 on the season, but has taken advantage when the bases are full this season hitting .389 (7-for-18). Two players are hitting north of the .300 line this season in freshman Hannah Olson (.375) and Alaina Hall (.303). Hall also leads the team in multi-RBI games this year with six.

Elon’s pitching staff has a total ERA of 2.47 on the year, currently in third in the Colonial Athletic Association. Mitchum leads the team with a 2.22 ERA and is second in the CAA with seven wins. Elon also leads the league in total saves with six, which is a new single-season high in program history.

Scouting Rider (4-4)
Rider is 4-4 on the year after having majority of its early-season schedule wiped out due to weather. Members of the Metro Atlantic Coast Conference, the Broncs are lead by 22nd-year head coach Tricia Carroll.

Gina McCool paces the Broncs offensively with her team-high .520 average, 13 hits and nine RBI. Overall as a team, Rider is hitting .280 and has six players hitting better than .300. The Broncs also have a 3.89 team ERA of 3.89 with five players seeing time in the circle.

Scouting East Carolina (8-18)
The Pirates sit at 8-18 on the year after coming off a trip to the Oklahoma Classic this past weekend. ECU split its games on the final day of the tournament, earning a 3-2 victory over Iowa before falling to No. 6 Oklahoma, 23-1.

Coming off a 28-20 record last season, ECU was tabbed to finish fifth in the 2015 American Athletic Association preseason poll. The Pirates returns 10 players from a team that posted a 14-10 mark in its final year in Conference USA.

ECU is batting .251 as a team with Kacie Oshiro leading the way with her .365 average. Three players have 12 or more RBI for the Pirates with Casey Alcorn leading the way with 17. The Pirates have also relied mostly on a four-person pitching staff this season as ECU has a total team ERA of 4.52.

On Deck
Elon enters its first foray in CAA play for the first time this weekend as the Phoenix travels to College of Charleston for a three-game series from March 21-22.