Elon Softball Phoenix Falls at No. 13/14 JMU in Season Finale

HARRISONBURG, Va. – Despite getting an early lead in the opening inning for the second time in the series, the Elon University softball team were doomed by a five-run bottom of the second by No. 13/14 James Madison and fell to the Dukes, 7-1, in the series finale on Saturday, May 6, at Veterans Memorial Park.

BOX SCORE

CAA Standings: With its regular season over, the Phoenix will need a Delaware loss to UNCW on Sunday, May 7, in its series finale, to clinch a spot for the Colonial Athletic Association tournament. Elon and the Blue Hens are tied for the fifth and final spot for the five-team field for the CAA Tournament.

In the Circle: Kiandra Mitchum (18-13) took the loss in the circle for the Phoenix after pitching 6.0 innings and allowing five earned runs off five hits. The Dukes’ Megan Good picked up her 34th win of the season to improve to 34-1 after allowing no earned runs in six innings.

At the Plate: The Phoenix plated three hits on the day with Kara Shutt accounting for two of them after going 2-for-3…Carey Million had the other hit for the Phoenix.

The Rundown: A miscue on JMU in the top of the first helped the Phoenix plate the first run of the game. Million reached on a fielder’s choice and advanced to second via a throwing error on the catcher. She would round the bases and score on the play to put the Phoenix ahead 1-0.

The Dukes put up a five-spot in the bottom of the second to take the lead and never looked back. A Phoenix fielding error with the bases loaded helped JMU tie the game at one-all before a two RBI single into right put the Dukes ahead. A wild pitch and score before a double play put Elon in a 5-1 deficit.

JMU added its final runs of the game via a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth to put the game out of reach. Elon would not recover as the Phoenix went down in order to end the game in the seventh.

On Deck
If Delaware loses to UNCW tomorrow, the Phoenix will have qualified for the CAA Tournament on May 10-12, back in Harrisonburg, Va.