Big Bats Key in Elon Baseball’s 10-8 Win at High Point

HIGH POINT, N.C. – A three-run home run by Cam Devanney and a grand slam from Adam Spurlin helped propel Elon University baseball to a 10-8 road win at High Point Tuesday, March 5 at Coy O. Willard Stadium.

BOX SCORE

Starter Jared Wetherbee (1-2) struck out seven batters through 5.0 complete innings to secure his first win of the season. The sophomore left-hander allowed six runs (four earned) on six hits and three walks. Ty Adcock gave up one run on one hit as he picked up the save. The redshirt-junior sat down one of the four batters he faced after pitching all of the ninth inning. Dean McCarthytossed 2.0 innings, punching out one while giving up a hit. Kyle Greenler also pitched a complete inning in relief.

Spurlin had the big bat for the Phoenix (8-4) on the day. The junior out of Ty Ty, Ga. finished 2-for-4 with the grand slam, a double, one run, five RBIs, and a walk. Joe Satterfield went 2-for-4 with two doubles, scored a run, drove in a run, and walked. Tyler Cranston also recorded a multi-hit day as the freshman hit 2-for-5 with a double, a run, and a stolen base. Devanney added a 1-for-3 effort in the win.

How It Happened: Elon got off to a fast start in the first half inning of the ball game. Satterfield laced a two-out double to the gap in the left and Adcock was hit by a pitch to put two on for Devanney. With the count full, the Amherst, N.H. native hit his third home run of the season to left field as the Phoenix jumped out to a 3-0 advantage.

The Phoenix added to its lead in the top of the fourth with its most productive inning of the season. Devanney was hit by a pitch to start the inning, Anthony Galason singled down the left-field line, and Matt Oldham earned a free trip to first to juice the bases. Spurlin then brought in four runs with one swing of the bat as the junior launched a long ball over the 360-feet sign in left center. With the bases cleared, Cranston doubled to left and Tyler Stanley was hit by a pitch to put two runners on. After a Stonehouse sacrifice bunt moved the pair up, Cranston scored on a Satterfield ground out to second. Adcock would then reach on a throwing error by the Panthers’ (4-6) third baseman, allowing Stanley to touch home.

High Point finally got on the board with two runs in the bottom half of the frame. After a two-out single put a runner on first, JJ Woodward homered to the corner in left. The hosts plated another two in their next go-around. With runners on first and second, a single through the left side ran the bases full. A throwing error then allowed two to come in as the Panthers cut into Elon’s lead, 9-4.

Satterfield led off the top half of the sixth with a double to right center. Devanney and Galason then reached on a throwing error and a fielding error to run the bases full. Following a High Point pitching change, the Purple and White were able to get a force out at home. Spurlin worked a five-pitch walk though for the free RBI and a 10-4 Elon lead.

The Panthers narrowed the gap in the bottom of the sixth with two runs on as many hits. A leadoff double and a single put runners on the corners. The hosts then drew consecutive walks to cut Elon’s lead in half. After McCarthy entered the game in relief, a High Point fielder’s choice brought in another run with one away and runners in scoring position. The White Plains, N.Y. native settled down, though, inducing a blooper right back to the mound for out number two. He then got a Panther batter swinging to limit the damage.

HPU walked, stole second, and singled to put runners on the corners in the bottom of the eighth. Greenler was able to strike out the next two batters, gut a failed pickoff attempt allowed a run to come around. Down to its last three outs, High Point led off with a double down the left-field line. A wild pitch allowed the runner to take third, and the Panther baserunner tagged up on a sacrifice fly to center to get the hosts to with 10-8. With two outs, however, Adcock induced a fly out to left to finish the game.

Notes: With the win, Elon improves to 127-87 in the all-time series, including a 32-22 mark under head coach Mike Kennedy…The save marked the third of the season for Adcock…Stanley successfully stole second in the top of the seventh for his fifth consecutive game with a swiped bag. The junior remains perfect on the season, improving to 11-for-11 on stolen base attempts…With his hit in the fourth inning, Galason reached safely for the 10th consecutive game…Spurlin’s grand slam marks the first since the 2017 season, when the Phoenix hit two on the year. Hayden Platt hit the first to help the maroon and gold to a 10-6 win on March 26 in the series finale versus Northeastern. On April 1 against James Madison, Kyle Jackson was one of three Phoenix batters to homer. With the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh, the Atlanta, Ga. product sent the 10th pitch of the at bat off the scoreboard in left center.

On Deck: The maroon and gold returns to Latham Park this weekend to host the Bryant Bulldogs (4-5) for a three-game series. The two programs are meeting for the first time.