GREENSBORO, N.C – The Elon University softball team dropped its series and regular-season finale at UNCG on Sunday, May 4, by an 8-0 setback. The Phoenix fell to 24-27-1 overall and 6-15 in Southern Conference play while the Spartans improved to 27-24 and 10-11 in the SoCon.
Elon will be the No. 8 seed in the upcoming SoCon Tournament that will begin on Wednesday, May 7, in Greensboro at UNCG Softball Stadium. The maroon and gold will face Georgia Southern, who won the league’s regular-season championship yesterday, May 3. The Phoenix and the Eagles will play at 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
UNCG took an early 2-0 advantage in the bottom of the first thanks to a two-run home run by Lindsay Thomas. Dominique Madruga led off the frame with a hit by pitch and was driven in by Thomas’ eighth homer of the year. Elon was able to recover and force three straight fly outs to end the inning.
Spartans added to its lead in the bottom of the third with a solo home run by Katleyn Bedwell. Bedwell’s 17th homer of the season moved UNCG up 3-0 at the end of the third.
The Spartans added five more runs in the fourth. UNCG led off the inning with a walk and a single before the bases were loaded after Allison Geiner reached on a fielding error. Madruga then drew another walk to score a run. A single and sacrifice fly plated two more runs before the Spartans added its final runs off a pair of wild pitches.
Elon would only get one more runner on base in the top of the fifth before falling to the Spartans, 8-0, due to the run rule.
Alli Burdette (3-6) took the loss for Elon after going 3.0 innings with five hits and five earned runs allowed. Freshman Alaina Hall led the Phoenix at the plate after going 2-for-3, recording half of the Phoenix’s hit total.
1 2 3 4 5 R H E
Elon 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 1
UNCG 2 0 1 5 X 8 7 0
Win – Thomas, N. (8-5). Loss – Burdette (3-6). Save – None.
Umpires – HP: Rodney Graves 1B: Sidney Ferguson 3B: David Brewer
Start: 1:00 pm Time: 1:30 Attendance: 225
Weather: Sunny in the low 80s