PHILADELPHIA – A four-run top of the ninth inning helped the Elon University softball team to complete its first Colonial Athletic Association sweep as the Phoenix pulled out a 7-3 victory over Drexel on Sunday, March 29, at the Drexel Softball Complex.
The Phoenix (22-9, 4-2 CAA) won its fourth game out of its last five in the sweep of the Dragons (9-11, 1-4 CAA). Elon had 13 hits on the day compared to nine for Drexel as Aly Quintana had a season-high in hits after going 3-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI. Madison Kadlic (2-for-3), Alaina Hall (2-for-4, RBI), Kara Shutt (2-for-5, two RBI) and Emily Roper (2-for-5, homerun, two RBI) also had multi hits on the afternoon for the Phoenix.
Chelsea White (4-0) received the win in relief for Elon after the senior pitched 4.1 innings and gave up four hits and no runs with three strikeouts. None of the Phoenix’s three runs allowed on the day were earned.
Elon got into trouble in the bottom of the first frame to open the contest. Drexel’s leadoff batter reached on an error by the shortstop and advanced to second on an infield single. A sacrifice bunt moved both base runners into scoring position before Elon starter Kiandra Mitchum battled back to induce the first two outs of the frame. After a walk loaded the bases, Drexel capitalized on a single to left to plate the first run of the game and take a 1-0 lead.
The Phoenix responded to tie the game in the top of the second. Emily Cameron led off with a double and moved to third on a grounder to first. She would cross home plate on a two-out single by Quintana to knot the game at 1-1.
Elon had an opportunity to add a run in the top of the third. Hall hit a one-out single to left and then stole second with two outs. She advanced to third after an errant throw by the catcher to second, but the Phoenix struck out to end the top of the frame.
Both team went scoreless in the third and fourth innings, but Elon took the lead in the top of the fifth. Quintana singled up the middle to lead off the inning and advanced to second after a sacrifice bunt by Kadlic. Quintana then reached third after Caitlin O’Shea singled up the middle before coming home on another single up the middle by Shutt to give Elon a 2-1 lead.
That lead was short-lived as the Dragons answered in the bottom of the frame retake the advantage. A two-out RBI single by Alyssa Williamson plated the tying run from third before Drexel scored the go-ahead score off an Elon error to move up 3-2.
Elon rallied to get two quickly on in the top of the seventh. Quintana led off with a single to left and advanced to third on a follow single to right by Kadlic. Kadlic would get thrown out at second, but Quintana scored the tying run after the left fielder dropped a fly ball on O’Shea’s at bat. Elon would get two more base runners on, but all would be stranded as the game moved to extras.
After both teams went scoreless in the eighth, Elon gained momentum in the top of the ninth. Down to its final out, O’Shea reached on a throwing error by the Dragons’ third baseman and advanced to second. She would plate the go-ahead run on a double by Hall to left as the Phoenix took a 4-3 lead. Hall crossed home plate herself on a single by Shutt up the middle before Roper added two more to the scoreboard on a two-run home run to left center that gave Elon a 7-3 advantage.
White and the Phoenix took care of business in the bottom of the ninth to close out the game as the Phoenix walked away with the 7-3 victory.
The Phoenix is back in action with a non-conference road contest at Virginia Tech on Wednesday, April 1. First pitch is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Elon 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 4 7 13 3
Drexel 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 3 9 4