Elon Athletics Weekly Update

ELON, N.C. – Every Monday, Phoenix fans can get a look at the week ahead with our “Elon Athletics Weekly Update” feature when we will preview all the week’s upcoming events for our sports teams. “Follow us” on Twitter at @elonphoenix and @elonscores, “Like” Elon Phoenix on Facebook and continue to check elonphoenix.com to stay current on all things Elon Athletics.

Baseball (13-7, 2-1)
Elon at NC State, Wednesday, March 19, at 3 p.m., Raleigh, N.C.
Elon vs. Western Carolina, Friday – Sunday, March 21-23, at 6/4/1:30 p.m., Latham Park

• Elon improved to 9-2 all-time in SoCon openers after defeating Georgia Southern 1-0 last Friday night.
• Junior Lucas Bakker, the reigning SoCon Pitcher of the Week, tossed his second straight complete game against GSU on Friday. He allowed just two hits to an Eagle team that entered the weekend tied for first in the nation in batting average. He is the first Phoenix hurler to toss back-to-back complete games during Elon’s tenure in the SoCon.
• Junior Casey Jones had at least one hit in all five games last week and enters the week with a six-game hitting streak.
• The Phoenix will complete the home-and-home series with NC State when it travels to Raleigh, N.C., on Wednesday afternoon for a game that will air on WPCM 95.1 FM and 920 AM.
• Elon will play its second of three consecutive home SoCon series this weekend by hosting preseason league favorite Western Carolina. Promotions for the weekend include the Family Meal Deal (four tickets, four hot dogs and four drinks for $30) at all three games, Free Stuff Friday (various giveaways upon entering the stadium) and Sunday Funday (inflatables, cornhole, Smitty’s Ice Cream).

Men’s Golf
Elon at Seahawk Intercollegiate, Monday, March 17, Wilmington, N.C. (Cancelled – Weather)

• The Elon men’s golf team opened play at the Seahawk Intercollegiate by playing 36 holes on Sunday. The Phoenix ended the day ninth out of 13 teams.
• Stuart Kaufman finished the first two rounds in a tie for 13th to lead the Phoenix.

Men’s Tennis (10-3, 3-0)
Elon at The Citadel, Sunday, March 23, at 1 p.m., Charleston, S.C.

• The men’s tennis team will start a six-match stretch against Southern Conference opponents this week when it travels to The Citadel on Sunday, March 23, for a 1 p.m. match in Charleston, S.C.
• Playing out of conference last week, Elon won both of its matches against Winthrop and Radford to extend its winning streak to six matches. Though Cameron Silverman and Jordan Kaufman lost individually against Radford, Juan Madrid, Stefan Fortmann, Brian Kowalski and Robert Lindgren stepped up to help the Phoenix seal their sixth straight win with a 4-2 victory over the Highlanders.
• Through the early portion of the SoCon season, three of the four Player of the Week honors have gone to Elon players. Silverman was the first to earn the award on Feb. 18. He was followed by Kaufman on March 4 and Fortmann last week on March 11.

Softball (16-8-1, 1-2)
Elon vs. Towson, Wednesday, March 19, at 6 p.m., Hunt Softball Park
Elon at Georgia Southern, Saturday-Sunday, March 22-23, at 1/3/1 p.m., Statesboro, Ga.

• Elon earned its first Southern Conference win of the year over the weekend at Western Carolina on Saturday, March 15. The Phoenix won 2-1 over the Catamounts behind a two-run home run by senior Carleigh Nester and a complete game win from sophomore Kayla Caruso in the circle.
• The Phoenix’s Emily Cameron was tabbed as the SoCon Player of the Month for February on March 13. Cameron batted .390 for the month and had six home runs, 16 RBI and scored 12 runs, while helping the maroon and gold to a 8-5-1 record throughout February.
• The Phoenix will host Towson for a second time this season on Wednesday, March 19, before traveling to Georgia Southern for its second SoCon series of the year. Elon defeated Towson, 3-2, on March 9 in eight innings.

Women’s Lacrosse (3-5, 1-0)
Elon vs. Longwood, March 19, at 7:30 p.m., Rhodes Stadium
Elon at Davidson, Saturday, March 22, at 2 p.m., Davidson, N.C.

• Elon suffered two losses last week after winning three straight. The Phoenix fell to No. 1 North Carolina before an 11-8 loss at Campbell on Saturday.
• Last week, goalie Rachel Ramirez earned her second A-Sun Defensive Player of the Week honor of the season. The freshman recorded 23 saves and a 56.7 save percentage in wins over Detroit and Coastal Carolina. The Lindenhurst, N.Y., native also collected five ground balls, while holding opponents to only nine goals per game.
• Elon will play two games this week with one at home in Rhodes Stadium and the other on the road. The Phoenix will host Longwood on Wednesday in a game that was originally scheduled for Feb. 14 but was postponed due to a snowstorm. The maroon and gold will then travel to Davidson to take on the Wildcats on Saturday.

Women’s Tennis (8-5, 2-0)
Elon vs. Furman, Friday, March 21, at 2:30 p.m., Jimmy Powell Tennis Center
Elon vs. Wofford, Saturday, March 22, at 10 a.m., Jimmy Powell Tennis Center

• With non-conference play in the rearview mirror, the women’s tennis team opens a seven-match stretch on Friday, March 21, against SoCon opponents to close the season.
• Finishing nonconference action yesterday, March 17, Elon went on the road to face the ACC’s Wake Forest. Though having chances to take the doubles point and gain some momentum heading into singles play, Jordan Johnston and Barbora Lazarova could not hold off Wake’s top duo of Xue Zhang and Kasey Gardiner as the Demon Deacons clinched the doubles point and kept the momentum in riding to a 6-1 victory. The loss snapped Elon’s eight-match winning streak and was the first for the Phoenix since Jan. 25 against Kansas State in the ITA Kickoff Weekend tournament in Athens, Ga.
• Following Saturday’s match against Wofford, Elon will only play one more home match this season. The match will come April 12 against Western Carolina. It will also be the final regular season match before the Southern Conference Tournament, which is set to be held in Chattanooga, Tenn.