Stalzer Dominant as Elon Baseball Takes Series From App State

ELON, N.C. — On a gorgeous, but windy, Easter Sunday from Latham Park, Elon’s Jake Stalzer controlled the game to pitch his Phoenix to a 4-2 victory in the rubber match of a three-game set at Latham Park.

Stalzer, who was making his second start of the week, went eight innings and scattered just four hits while allowing two runs. He struck out four, including the last two hitters he faced on the afternoon. The win improved the junior lefty to 5-2 on the season and lowered his ERA to 2.91.

Ryan Pennell tossed a scoreless ninth to collect his 11th save of the year. That mark is tied for the second-most saves in a season in program history and is sixth on Elon’s career chart.

“It was a great day to be down (in the zone) with the way the wind was blowing out. It just goes to show you, no matter what the weather’s like, if you can pitch down you can have some success.”

After falling behind 1-0 in the top of the fourth, Elon (25-15, 11-7 Southern Conference) came right back with a marker of its own in the bottom half when Tyler McVicar doubled home Casey Jones.

In the next inning, the Phoenix grabbed the lead for good. With two outs, Andy Moore doubled down the leftfield line and scored on Quinn Bower’s single up the middle. With his brother on second after an error,Blaine Bower singled home the third Elon run of the contest.

Appalachian (14-23, 8-6) got one back in the sixth on a wind-aided homer from Tyler Stroup only to see the maroon and gold get that one right back in the bottom half when Ryan Cooper doubled home McVicar.

Jones was one of three Elon players with two hits (McVicar and Cooper were the others) as his hitting streak reached 26 games.

The loss went to ASU starter Jeffrey Springs (2-2) who was charged with all four runs on nine hits in six innings.

The Phoenix is scheduled to play its next four on the road, beginning with a 6 p.m. contest at UNC Wilmington on Tuesday evening.

                        1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R  H E
   Appalachian State    0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 2  4 1
   Elon                 0 0 0 1 2 1 0 0 X 4 10 0

Win – Stalzer (5-2). Loss – Springs (2-2). Save – Pennell (11).

Umpires – HP: T.R. Sloan 1B: Randy Vestal 3B: Mac Stokes
Start: 2:00 pm Time: 2:11 Attendance: 573
Weather: Sunny, 65 deg,. Winds: NE 13