ELON, N.C. – After a successful weekend in its home tournament, the Elon University softball team returns to Hunt Softball Park to face Charlotte in a single midweek contest on Wednesday, Feb. 26. The first pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.
Live Coverage
Fans can follow the Phoenix in its game versus the 49ers via live stats by going to the Elon softball schedule page at elonphoenix.com. Twitter updates will also be provided the handle @ElonScores or @ElonUSoftball.
Series History
The Phoenix and the 49ers are meeting for the 26th time on Wednesday in a series that dates back to 1998 in the fast pitch era at Elon. The 49ers holds a 15-10 advantage all-time, but the two programs split last year’s doubleheader meeting at Charlotte. Elon took the opening game, 5-2, behind a complete game performance by then-freshman Kayla Caruso, who allowed no earned runs and scattered six hits in her seven innings. The 49ers rebounded to take game two, 8-0.
Last Time Out
Elon won three out of four at its first home outing of the season during the Phoenix Opening Tournament. The Phoenix opened the tournament with a 6-5 win over Niagara in extra innings on an Emily Cameron sacrifice fly that scored Alaina Hall in the bottom of the eighth. The Phoenix then defeated Saint Joseph’s, 2-1, again in dramatic fashion as pinch-hitter Caitlin O’Shea drove in the game-winning run on a RBI single in the bottom of the seventh. After a 3-2 setback to UMBC, Elon closed out the tournament with a 10-1 win over Iona.
Scouting the Phoenix (8-4-1)
The win against Iona was the 290th career victory for head coach Kathy Bocock and improved her record to 12-3 all-time in home tournament games at Elon. The third-year head coach also improved her record to 22-11-1 in the month of February at the helm of the Phoenix softball program.
Cameron has already surpassed her home run total (one) of a year ago this season while matching her number in RBI (16) and runs scored (12) from her freshman campaign. She also continued to show her versatility on the field, playing both corner outfield positions as well as shortstop this past weekend.
Elon continues to be the top fielding team in the Southern Conference with a fielding percentage of .985. Seven players – Carleigh Nester, Ali Ford, Hall, Alli Burdette, Emily Roper, Sarah Little and O’Shea – continue to post a perfect fielding percentage among the players that have had 10 or more chances this season.
On Tuesday, Roper was tabbed as the SoCon Player of the Week by College Sports Madness after her performance last week. The Cincinnati, Ohio, native hit .444 in the Phoenix’s five games last week.
In the circle, Chelsea White won all three games for Elon in the Phoenix Opening Tournament and leads the team in wins (four) and innings pitched (34.2). Caruso made her 2014 debut versus Iona in relief and helped closed out the game after allowing no hits or runs in her inning of action.
Scouting Charlotte (4-5)
A member of Conference USA, the 49ers are led by head coach Aimee DeVos, who is in her 20th season at Charlotte. The 49ers were voted 10th in the league poll by its head coaches after coming off a 24-26 season in 2013 as member of the Atlantic-10 Conference.
Charlotte split its games last weekend at its home tournament, the Green and White Tournament, picking up wins against St. Bonaventure and Cleveland State. The 49ers are currently hitting .318 as a team with four players with at least 20 at-bats batting.333 or better.
Jackie Kleinsmith paces the squad with 16 hits on her .552 average along with nine RBI. Samantha Slade is also providing offensive firepower at the plate with her team-high six homers and 14 RBI.
Lexi Betancourt has handled the majority of the workload in the circle for the 49ers with 29.2 innings pitched and has a 4-1 record with a 1.42 ERA.
On Deck
Elon its second home tournament of the season, the Phoenix Softball Clash, this weekend starting on Saturday, March 1, with a matchup against Coppin State. That game is scheduled for a 12:15 p.m. start.