Elon Softball Takes Non-Conference Trip to N.C. A&T

ELON, N.C. – Fresh off opening Colonial Athletic Association play with a series victory versus College of Charleston, the Elon University softball team will break from league competition with an early-week contest at longtime Triad rival North Carolina A&T on Tuesday, March 27. Opening pitch for the contest is scheduled for a 4:30 p.m. start at the Lady Aggies Softball Complex.

Follow the Phoenix
Fans can keep up with the action of the Phoenix all season via live stats from the program’s schedule page at elonphoenix.com. Updates will also be provided on Twitter on at the program’s handle, @ElonUSoftball. For more on Elon softball, follow the program on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Inside the Series: North Carolina A&T (Elon leads 41-10)
Both programs have been longtime yearly rivals since 1991 during Elon’s fastpitch era (since 1990). The maroon and gold holds a 41-10 all-time advantage over the Lady Aggies and has won three straight in the series and 10 out of the last 11. The last loss for the Phoenix at N.C. A&T came in 2012 with the Lady Aggies earning a 5-4 victory.

Around the Horn
• Elon is hitting .269 for the season and has accounted for 129 runs, 40 doubles and 108 RBI. The Phoenix ranks second overall in the CAA in doubles and triples (five).
• Four regulars in the Phoenix’s lineup are hitting better than .300 with two, seniors Hannah Olson (.406) and Kara Shutt (.402), north of .400. The duo has combined for 47 runs scored, 21 doubles and 34 RBI at the top of the Phoenix’s lineup.
• Olson ranks fifth in the CAA with her .406 average and is second overall with her 11 doubles. The Yorktown, Va., native needs one double to move into a tie for seventh all-time in program history in career doubles as she sits on 37.
• Shutt became the Phoenix’s all-time doubles leader on Sunday, March 25, versus College of Charleston, racking up her 52nd career double to move past Carleigh Nester ’14. The Greensboro, N.C., native is third in the CAA in runs scored (26) and hits (41).
• Shutt tallied seven hits during the Phoenix’s three-game series versus the Cougars giving her 220 for her career. She needs one more hit to tie Nester for fifth on the program’s all-time career list.
• The Phoenix pitching staff has posted a 2.91 cumulative ERA this season in 204.2 innings of action. Elon has also struck out 124 batters while walking 69 with four saves.
• Kiandra Mitchum and Abby Barker leads the Phoenix with six wins on the season with Mitchum pacing the squad with 79.1 innings and Barker seeing the most appearances with 20. Mitchum has a 2.56 ERA and a team-best 71 strikeouts on the season.

Scouting the Aggies (3-21, 0-0 MEAC)
N.C. A&T was 3-21 on the season going into its Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference series-opener versus South Carolina State on Monday, March 26. The Lady Aggies will close out their series versus the Bulldogs on Tuesday prior to hosting the Phoenix. North Carolina A&T was tabbed to finish third in the 2018 MEAC Preseason Poll after going 8-8 in conference play last season.

The Lady Aggies are hitting .244 as a team with two regulars in the lineup, Marcey Jiles and Zadaisha Waddell, batting better than .300. Waddell, who earned preseason All-MEAC first-team honors as a utility player, carries a .341 average with seven RBI and two doubles in 2018. Stephanie Williams leads N.C. A&T with her 11 RBI on the year.

As a team, North Carolina A&T has had three players seen the majority of time toeing the rubber this season. Mohagony Headen leads the team with her 59.1 innings and has a 4.84 ERA with 42 strikeouts and a 1-5 ledger so far in 2018.

On Deck
Elon hosts current CAA co-leader Hofstra for a league three-game set this Saturday and Sunday, March 31-April 1. The Phoenix and the Pride square off in a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 1 p.m. following with the teams closing out the weekend with the series finale on Easter Sunday at 1 p.m.