Elon Softball Hosts UNCW in CAA Home Opener

ELON, N.C. – The Elon University softball team hosts UNCW in its Colonial Athletic Association home opener this weekend, March 29-30, at Hunt Softball Park. The three-game series begins with a single game on Friday, March 29, at 6 p.m. before concluding with a twin bill on Saturday, March 30, starting at 1 p.m.

The series was originally scheduled for a doubleheader on Saturday and the series finale on Sunday, March 30 at 1p.m. Due to inclement weather in the forecast on Sunday, the single-game was moved up to Friday evening.

Follow the Phoenix
Live stats will be available to follow along with Twitter updates from the program’s handle, @ElonSoftball. Saturday’s doubleheader will be streamed on Phoenix All-Access at elonphoenix.com.

Inside the Series: UNCW (Elon leads 13-10)
Elon holds an all-time advantage of 13-10 over its league in-state foe and took two out of three in the series last season at Wilmington, N.C. The Seahawks however won two out of three the last time the two programs met in Elon in 2017. Since becoming league opponents in 2015, the record between the two teams is 7-5 in favor of the Phoenix.

Last Time Out
The Phoenix will look to bounce back this weekend after falling in its midweek game versus Campbell, 6-2, on Wednesday, March 27. An error-plagued third inning along with two homeruns helped the Camels plate all six of their runs in the frame. Elon’s Megan White got the Phoenix on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fifth with a two-run home run, her second of the year, but the Phoenix could not put a rally together to comeback against the Camels.

Around the Horn
• Elon sits at 1-2 in the CAA standings after earning a win at then No. 19 James Madison last weekend to open up league play. The win at the Dukes was the second win of the season against a top-20 opponent for the Phoenix.
• As a team, Elon is hitting .255 on the year with 49 doubles, 21 home runs and 127 RBI. The Phoenix is in the top-five of the Colonial Athletic Association in runs scored (145), RBI (128), doubles (49), homeruns (21) and has a CAA-best 112 walks – 16 more than the second-closest team.
• Ally Repko leads the CAA in walks with 22 while teammate Keagan Goldwait is tied for third with 18. The Broadway, Va., native is also the Phoenix’s leader in doubles with nine.
• The Phoenix has already surpassed its home run total from last season (20) with its 21 round trippers it has this season. Repko and Callie Horn are tied for the team-lead in homers with four each.
• Six players have driven in 10 or more RBI for the Phoenix so far this season. Rebecca Murray and Erica Serafini are tied for the team-lead with 16 each.
• All seven of the Phoenix’s active freshmen has seen time early in the season. Six of those players have had their number called in the lineup with four starting at least 15 out of the 31 games this season.
• In the circle, Elon has posted a 3.90 ERA in 204.2 innings of action. The Phoenix has also struck out 79 batters compared to 100 walks. The Phoenix has also posted 14 complete games and three shutouts.
• Redshirt junior Abby Barker leads the Phoenix in the circle this season with a 2.78 ERA in her 83.0 innings of action. She also has two shuts and nine complete games on the year.
• Phoenix head coach Kathy Bocock sits on 199 career victories while at the helm of the Elon softball program.
• This season marks the 30th season of Elon softball during its fastpitch era and the 20th at the Division I level.
• The Phoenix’s roster is balanced with seasoned leadership and a renewed depth of talent, featuring seven seniors along with eight newcomers.
• In the 2019 CAA Preseason Poll, the Phoenix was tabbed to finish sixth by the league’s head coaches.

Scouting UNCW (20-14, 2-1 CAA)
The Seahawks come into the matchup this weekend after a 3-2 setback at NC State on Wednesday. Prior to that contest, UNCW opened CAA play with a series win versus Towson last weekend, taking two out of three against the Tigers. In the current league standings, the Seahawks are tied for second with its 2-1 ledger.

As a team, UNCW is hitting .255 at the plate with two players in its normal lineup hitting better than .300. The team also leads the CAA in triples with 11. Sophomore Carson Shaner has team-highs in average (.355) and home runs (six) while Jada Santiago is pacing the squad with her 31 hits on a .313 average.

In the circle, pitchers Rylee Pate and Haley Lenderman have carried most of the load for the Seahawks. Pate leads the team in total appearances (18), innings (88.2), wins (nine) strikeouts (52) while posting a 2.53 ERA. Lenderman has a team-best 1.65 ERA, second in the CAA, in her 72.0 innings on the season.

On Deck
Elon continues league play next weekend as the Phoenix travels to College of Charleston for a three-game series on April 6-7.