Elon Softball Heads to No. 22/23 James Madison This Weekend

ELON, N.C. – The Elon University softball team hits the road for its final Colonial Athletic Association road test as the Phoenix travels to No. 22/23 James Madison this weekend, April 25-26. The three-game series begins with a doubleheader on Saturday at 1 p.m. followed by the series finale on Sunday at 1 p.m.

Live Coverage
Fans can follow the Phoenix this weekend 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. Saturday’s twin bill will be streamed on video with Sunday’s contest audio only through JMU’s athletic website, jmusports.com.

Series History
Elon and JMU are tied in the all-time series, 5-5, which began in 2003 in Burlington, N.C. The Phoenix won the first four games of the series, but the Dukes have won five out of the last six including four straight. Both programs last met on the softball diamond in 2012 with JMU sweeping the Phoenix in a doubleheader in Harrisonburg, Va.

About the Phoenix (26-17, 8-7 CAA)
Elon is 26-17 on the season, but has fallen in its last two games including a 12-4 setback at North Carolina on Wednesday, April 22. The Phoenix sits in third-place in the CAA standings with its 8-7 mark behind JMU (14-0) and Hofstra (11-3) after earning a 5-2 win at the Pride in the series finale on Sunday, April 19.

As a team, Elon is hitting .261 with 181 runs, 162 RBI, 18 home runs and 41 stolen bases. Elon still leads the CAA in hit-by-pitches with 52, nearly 20 more than the next closest team. The Phoenix is also third overall in doubles in the league with 60. The Phoenix has outhit its opponents in 20 of its 43 games and has an 18-2 mark when it wins the hits battle against the opposition.

Sophomore Alaina Hall continues her hot streak at the plate, extending her hitting streak to nine games on Wednesday at UNC. During that stretch, the Suwanee, Ga., native is hitting .581 (18-for-31) with four runs scored, three doubles and a triple. She also has had multi-hit outings in seven of those contests and leads the team with 17 multi-hit games overall on the season.

Hall paces the team with her .347 average and is one of three players on the team hitting.300 or better heading into the weekend. Freshmen Hannah Olson (.333) and Kara Shutt (.331) are also batting north of .300 for the Phoenix.

The Phoenix pitching staff has a team ERA of 2.99 this year, its lowest total since 2010. All six hurlers who have pitched an inning this year have an ERA lower than four with three lower than 2.50. Freshman Kiandra Mitchum and junior Kayla Caruso have seen the most time in the circle for the maroon and gold this season with 100.2 and 81.2 innings pitched, respectively. Seniors Chelsea White and Caitlin O’Shea have combined for seven saves on the year so far.

Scouting No. 22/23 James Madison (37-6, 14-0 CAA)
The nationally ranked Dukes are riding a 28-game winning streak into this weekend after sweeping Delaware in its CAA series last weekend to improve to 14-0 in the league. JMU’s last loss came on March 8, when it suffered a 6-4 setback to Stony Brook.

Tabbed as the 2015 league preseason favorite under third-year head coach Mickey Dean, the Dukes are hitting .348 as a team with 259 runs, 241 RBI and 79 stolen bases, leading the CAA in each category. Eight players are hitting better than .320 for the Dukes with Erica Field leading the offensive charge with her .439 average and 46 RBI.

In the circle, JMU has relied on the tandem of Megan Good and Jailyn Ford this season. Good is unbeaten this year with a 22-0 record and a 0.95 ERA in her 140.2 innings as a rookie. Ford is 13-4 with a 2.36 ERA in her 104.0 innings and threw the program’s first perfect game versus East Carolina on April 15.

On Deck
The Phoenix closes out its non-conference schedule on Tuesday, April 28, with a single-game against North Carolina A&T. The first pitch is slated for a 6 p.m. start at Hunt Softball Park.