Elon Softball Tops Radford, 5-1, to Begin Phoenix Invitational

ELON, N.C. – Senior Kenna Quinn gave up just one run while the offense got to work early as the Elon University softball team earned a 5-1 win over Radford in its first game of the Phoenix Invitational on Friday, Feb. 14, at Hunt Softball Park.

BOX SCORE

The Phoenix (4-1) picked up its third straight win overall with its victory over the Highlanders (0-1). It was also the eighth straight win in the series for Elon over Radford.

At the Plate: Both teams were tied at the plate with nine hits each…Rebecca Murray (2-of-4), Megan White (2-of-4) and Morgan Reich (2-of-3) led the Phoenix at the plate…Keagan Goldwait had two RBI for Elon while Ally Repko added her second homer of the season.

In the Circle: Quinn improved to 3-0 on the young season with her third complete game victory…The Boiling Springs, S.C., native allowed nine hits, but only one run and struck out four in 96 pitches.

The Rundown
Elon struck first in its home half of the first. Murray and Repko reached on a double and a walk, respectively, before Goldwait singled to down the left field line to score both to make it a 2-0 game for the Phoenix.

Radford came back to add a run in the top of the third. The Highlanders reached on a one-out single before scoring on a Sydney Fisher double to center to close Radford’s gap to 2-1. Another single moved Fisher to third to give the Highlanders runners at the corners with one out. Quinn and the Phoenix induced a double play on the next at bat to escape the jam.

The Phoenix got two runs back in the bottom of the third. Elon loaded the bases with one out and scored on a fielder’s choice after an errant throw to home by the third baseman. Another fielder’s choice induced the second out, but the Phoenix loaded the bases once again and scored after Claudia Penny drew a free pass, putting Elon ahead 4-1.

Elon added an insurance run in the bottom of the fourth. Repko added her second home run of the season on a one-out, solo hit to left to put the Phoenix ahead 5-1.

Quinn and the maroon and gold defense held the Radford offense to that deficit for the remainder of the game as Elon went on for the 5-1 victory.

On Deck
Elon is back in action tomorrow, Feb. 15, for day two of the Phoenix Invitational. The maroon and gold opens the day versus Morgan State at 2 p.m. followed by a matchup with Siena in the nightcap at 4:15 p.m.