Phoenix Softball Welcomes Tar Heels to East Field

ELON, N.C. – The Elon softball team returns to East Field after three straight wins last weekend for a mid-week game on Wednesday, March 14, against North Carolina. The first pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.

A Look at the Phoenix (14-3)
Elon is currently on a four-game winning streak after beating No. 25 Georgia Tech on March 4 and sweeping Furman last weekend to start conference play. The Phoenix averaged nine hits and 7.75 runs per game in those four wins, along with a total of five home runs.

Scouting the Tar Heels (18-7)
UNC was ranked No. 23 before falling out of the rankings at the beginning of this week. The Tar Heels are still receiving votes in the NFCA poll and are 18-7 on the season. Last night, UNC defeated East Carolina, 4-2, off a go-ahead two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth by Logan Foulks. The Tar Heels are coached by Donna J. Papa, who is in her 27th season at UNC.

The Series
UNC owns a 21-2-1 all-time record against Elon. The Phoenix took the victory the last time the Tar Heels visited East Field in 2010. A solo home run in the third inning by Tomeka Watson proved to be the game-winning run in the 1-0 Elon win. Last season, UNC won the game 11-4 in Chapel Hill, N.C.

O’Shea Receives Conference Accolade
Erin O’Shea was named the SoCon Player of the Week on Monday for her performance last weekend against Furman. The senior went 5-for-7 at the plate, scoring four runs and recording four RBI. She did not strike out in any at-bats and was a perfect 3-for-3 in stolen base attempts.

Best of the Best
The NCAA released its first Division I statistics rankings for the 2012 season on Monday. Tomeka Watson is ranked the hardest player in DI to strikeout after 51 at bats and no strikeouts, while she and Camille Hill are tied at 21st in runs per game with 1.18. Elon ranks in the top 50 out of the 283 DI teams in several categories. The Phoenix is sixth in double plays per game (0.59) and 15th in stolen bases per game (2.12). The maroon and gold also ranks 50th in team batting (.303), 48th in team ERA (2.25) and 30th in scoring (6.06).

The Bocock Box
Kathy Bocock is now 14-3 as the head coach of the Elon program. She holds a 250-397 career coaching record.

On Deck
Elon will continue conference play this weekend with a series at UNCG. The Phoenix and Spartans will play a doubleheader at 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 17, followed by the series finale at 1 p.m. on Sunday, March 18.