Brnovich, Broughton Lead Elon Baseball to Win Over #30 Charleston

ELON, N.C. – Against the league’s top pitching staff, the Elon University baseball team pounded out 12 hits en route to a 9-3 victory over the 30th-ranked College of Charleston Cougars in the opener of a Colonial Athletic Association series at Latham Park on Friday, March 30.

Box Score | Play-by-Play

The Phoenix (15-11, 3-1 CAA), got a stellar performance on the mound from Kyle Brnovich (4-0). The sophomore righty fanned a season-high 14 hitters and allowed just a pair of hits over 7.1 innings to pick up the victory. The 14 K’s were one shy of a career best set at William & Mary a year ago.

Offensively, Josh Broughton drove home four runs and hit a pair of home runs, while Garrett Stonehouse drove home three and tripled during a 3-for-4 night.

Charleston (20-7) starter Evan Sisk (5-2) was charged with four runs (three earned) on eight hits over 6.0 innings. The eight hits allowed matched a season high for the lefty who also struck out seven hitters.

The Cougars were limited to four hits on the night, including a two-RBI single from Logan McRae in the eighth inning.

How It Happened: The Phoenix grabbed a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third and never looked back. Ty Adcock led off with a fly ball to right that became a double when the outfielder slipped. Zach Evers followed with a single through the left side to put runners on the corners before Matt Oldham’s ground out drove home the first run. Evers then scored on Cam Devanney’s two-out double to the gap in right.

Elon carried a 3-0 lead into the sixth when Broughton connected on a 1-1 pitch and lined a shot over the tall wall in left for his first homer of the year.

The next inning, the maroon and gold erupted for five runs to take a 9-0 lead. With one out, Devanney walked and moved to second on a pinch-hit single from Hayden Platt. After a walk loaded the bases, Stonehouse drove an 0-1 pitch down the right field line for a three-RBI triple. Broughton then struck again, belting his second homer of the night, this one a two-run shot off the scoreboard in left-center.

Charleston eliminated the shutout possibility by scoring three times in the eighth. The Cougars loaded the bases on two walks and a bloop double with one out. A potential double play ball was mishandled allowing the first Charleston run to score before McRae grounded one up the middle to drive home the final two.

Notes: Devanney and Satterfield have both reached safely in 16 straight contests… Evers extended his hitting streak to 11 games… Elon has had 13 different players homer this season… Brnovich has now struck out 75 hitters in his seven starts and has had at least 11 strikeouts in four starts this season… Head coach Mike Kennedy earned the 693rd victory of his career… The loss snapped Charleston’s five-game winning streak.

On Deck: Elon and Charleston will meet for game two of the series on Saturday, March 31. First pitch is set for 4 p.m.