Elon Softball Phoenix Swept in Doubleheader at CAA-Leader #22/23 JMU

HARRISONBURG, Va. – The Elon University softball team was swept in its Colonial Athletic Association doubleheader at league-leader No. 22/23 James Madison on Saturday, April 25. The Phoenix (26-19, 8-9 CAA) fell in the opening contest, 9-1, before suffering a 9-0 setback at the hands of the Dukes (39-6, 16-0 CAA) in game two at Veterans Memorial Park.

The Phoenix could not overcome six home runs on the day from the Dukes between the two games while only pushing across one run of its own. JMU’s pitching duo of Megan Good and Jailyn Ford was also too much for the maroon and gold to overcome as the Dukes extended its win streak to 30 games.

Good and Ford held the Phoenix’s offense in check as the maroon and gold went 9-for-43 (.209) in the twin bill. Alaina Hall (3-for-5) and Hannah Olson (3-for-6) accounted for the majority of that total while Kara Shutt (2-for-6, RBI) was the only other Phoenix batter with more than one hit.

Good (23-0) earned the game one victory after going 4.1 innings with five hits and one run, unearned, allowed. Kiandra Mitchum (8-9) took the loss in the circle for the Phoenix after she went 2.0 innings with three hits and two runs allowed. Ford (14-4) won the second contest in a complete game effort, going six innings with four hits allowed. Elon starter Alli Burdette (2-2) received the defeat after she gave up nine hits and seven runs in her 5.2 innings.

The Phoenix and the Dukes close out the series tomorrow afternoon at 1 p.m.

Game 1: JMU 9, Elon 1
The Rundown: JMU’s Taylor Newton opened the scoring in the bottom of the second with a solo home run to left field. Another solo shot by the Dukes’ Morgan Tolle put the Phoenix is a 2-0 hole after the second inning. The Phoenix cut into that lead on Shutt’s RBI single through the right side that made the score 2-1 in the top of the third, but the Dukes answered with three runs in the home half to take a 5-1 advantage. JMU added four more runs in the bottom of the fourth to set the final score, 9-1.

Inside the Box Score: Elon batted 2-for-8 (.250) with two outs and 3-for-9 (.333) with runners on base…Leadoff hitters were only 1-for-5 in the game.

Game 2: JMU 9, Elon 0
The Rundown: JMU jumped out to a 3-0 advantage after the bottom of the first. Ford plated the first runs on a two-RBI double before Newton added the third run on an RBI single. Another solo home run by Newton in the bottom of the third put the Phoenix in a 4-0 deficit. The Dukes added to their lead with solo home runs in the third, fifth and sixth frames before an RBI double by Good and a two-run home by Ford ended the game, 9-0.

Inside the Box Score: The Phoenix gave up a season-high four home runs in the contest…The Phoenix was 2-for-11 (.182) with runners on and 1-for-9 (.111) with runners in scoring position…JMU was 6-for-13 (.462) with runners on.

Notes of Interest: Hall had a hit in both games, increasing her hitting streak to 11…Hall also had her 18th multi-hit game of the season in game one…Olson legged her 10th double of the year in game one…The Phoenix fell to 0-4 when facing a top-25 opponent this season.