Elon Hands #26 College of Charleston First CAA Defeat

MT. PLEASANT, S.C. – Solid pitching from Elon made four early runs stand up as the Phoenix handed the 26th-ranked College of Charleston Cougars their first Colonial Athletic Association defeat of the 2015 campaign.

Elon improved to 16-17 overall and 7-4 in CAA play. The Cougars dipped to 23-8, 10-1.

Michael Elefante (3-0) picked up the win for the maroon and gold. He scattered just four hits in six innings and allowed one run. Elefante fanned four and walked just one. Joe McGillcuddy closed the door in the ninth by retiring all three hitters he faced, including one strikeout, to earn his fifth save.

Brandon Glazer (6-1) took his first loss of the season after surrendering four runs on six hits in six innings.

Ryan Cooper had one of Elon’s six hits, but it was a big one. Cooper hit a two-run homer to left in the third, his third of the season.

Three CofC players had two hits apiece as Blake Butler, Nick Pappas and Erven Roper all went 2-for-4.

Up next: The Phoenix and Cougars will play the rubber match of the series on Sunday at 1 p.m.

How it happened: Elon took a 1-0 lead in the second when Quinn Bower’s bases-loaded single scored James Venuto. The Phoenix then stretched the advantage to 4-0 in the third. A Casey Jones single made it 2-0 before Cooper’s homer.

Inside the box score: Six different Elon players accounted for the team’s six hits … Phoenix pitchers recorded nine strikeouts, including three in 1.2 innings of relief from Nick Beaulac … Elon stranded six runners, while the Cougars left eight on base.

Notes: Elon’s victory snapped a nine-game winning streak by College of Charleston … Elefante has thrown at least 6.0 innings in four consecutive starts … There was a rain delay of 1:23 in the bottom of the eighth inning.