Bats Power Elon Softball Phoenix Past Samford, 8-2

TALLAHASSE, Fla. – Led by multi-hit efforts from three players, the Elon University softball team defeated Samford, 8-2, on Saturday, Feb. 23, on the start of its second day at the Unconquered Invitational at Florida State’s Seminole Softball Complex.

BOX SCORE

Elon (7-4) avenged its loss to the Bulldogs (5-9) yesterday to open the tournament. The Phoenix had a better day at the plate with a season-high 12 hits compared to two in its first game yesterday.

At the Plate: Morgan Reich led the Phoenix offensively with a career-best three hits as the Orlando, Fla., native was 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles and two RBI…Reich was one of three players with multi-hit games on the day along with Allie Eith (2-of-4) and Callie Horn (2-of-3)…Horn also added a double to her stat line…Keagan Goldwait added her first career homerun while driving in a pair a runs…Rebecca Murray also had two RBI.

In the Circle: Kenna Quinn (3-2) bounced back from her outing yesterday to earn the complete-game win in the circle…The junior gave up six hits and two runs while walking three.

The Rundown
After both teams were held off the scoreboard in the first two innings, Goldwait plated the first run of the day in the top of the third. The Sugar Land, Texas, native drove a two-out, solo homerun to left center to give the Phoenix the 1-0 lead. Elon continued the two-out rally after Ashtyn Foddrell reached on an error and Horn singled to give the Phoenix two on base. Reich’s double to left center scored Foddrell to put Elon ahead 2-0 and gave the Phoenix runners in scoring position. Murray cleared the bases with her single through right center that pushed Elon to a 4-0 advantage.

Samford got a run back in the bottom of the third, but the Phoenix added its fifth run of the contest in the top half of the fifth. Horn reached on a fielder’s choice with two outs and moved to second after a wild pitch. That set the stage for Reich as the junior doubled again to left center enabling Horn to score to put Elon up 5-1.

The Bulldogs came back with a run again in its home half of the fifth to stay close with the Phoenix at 5-2. A three-spot from Elon in the top of the sixth gave the maroon and gold some breathing room. The Phoenix loaded the bases with one out on a single from Elise Walton with Goldwait coming to the plate. The freshman was able to draw a free pass that scored Elon’s sixth run of the game. Foddrell added another run to the scoreboard on her RBI single to center before a wild pitch contributed Elon’s final run tally of the game with the Phoenix coming away with the 8-2 victory.

On Deck
Elon is back on the diamond later today to face Lipscomb in its nightcap at 5:30 p.m.