Elon Baseball Blanks UNCW Behind Conroy’s Strong Start

WILMINGTON, N.C. – Behind 7.0 strong innings from Ryan Conroy, the Elon University baseball team earned its first-ever shutout of the UNCW Seahawks in a 4-0 victory at Brooks Field on Sunday afternoon.

Box Score | Play-by-Play

With the win, Elon improved to 27-17 overall and 9-6 in Colonial Athletic Association play and claimed the series victory over the Seahawks. UNCW dropped to 26-17, 8-7 on the year.

Conroy (3-3) struck out five and allowed just three hits over his 7.0 shutout frames to earn the win. Jared Wetherbee fanned three over the final two innings to finish out the game.

Offensively for the Phoenix, James Venuto went 2-for-2 with a home run, while Ty Adcock doubled and drove in two runs.

UNCW starter Gage Herring (2-1) took the loss after giving up one run on three hits over 4.1 innings. He struck out six.

The Seahawks were limited to just three hits on the day.

How It Happened: Venuto gave Elon a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth when he drilled an 0-1 pitch over the fence in left for his third home run of the season.

With the score still 1-0 in the last of the sixth, UNCW threatened. The first two hitters of the inning reached on an error and hit-by-pitch before a ground out moved both runners into scoring position. Conroy then struck out the next two hitters to keep the maroon and gold on top.

The next inning, UNCW got a runner to second with one away (when Adcock made his second diving grab of the game) before a Conroy strikeout came for the second out of the frame. After another hit batter, a ground ball to second ended the inning.

Elon then created some separation in the eighth. Venuto led off with a walk and a ground out advanced pinch-runner Tyler Stanley 90 feet. Cam Devanney blooped a single down the right field line to put runners on the corners for Matt Oldham who delivered a single through the right side to make it 2-0. Adcock followed by ripping a 1-0 pitch down the third base line for a two-RBI double to make it a 4-0 contest.

Notes: The shutout of UNCW was the first in 66 all-time meetings between the two teams… Elon recorded its third shutout of the year… The Phoenix has won 10 of its last 11 games… Devanney finished the series 8-for-11 at the plate.

On Deck: Elon will return home to Latham Park for a 6 p.m. date with Wake Forest on Wednesday, May 2.