Elon Softball Suffers Setback at No. 9/10 Georgia

ATHENS, Ga. – A combined 11-run outburst in the third and fourth innings by No. 9/10 Georgia doomed the Elon University softball team as the Phoenix fell to the Bulldogs, 14-4, in the final game of the opening day at the Bulldog Invitational on Friday evening, Feb. 13, at Jack Turner Stadium.

Elon (3-2) dropped its second consecutive game after suffering a 6-2 loss to Troy earlier in the day. The Bulldogs continued its unbeaten streak to 8-0 to start the 2015 season.

Elon took an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Alaina Hall and Kara Shutt both had one-out singles to reach base before senior Sarah Little drove both in on a two-out single up the middle.

Georgia quickly came back in the bottom of the frame with a run of its own. The Bulldogs’ Sydni Emanuel tripled with one out down the left field line and scored on a Paige Wilson bunt to pull within one, 2-1.

Wilson struck again in the bottom of the second as she had a double down the left field line to drive in a couple of runs for the Bulldogs as Georgia took a 3-2 lead.

Georgia opened the game in the bottom of the third, scoring six runs off seven hits. The Bulldogs began the frame with three consecutive singles forcing Elon to make a pitching change as junior Kayla Caruso relieved starter Kiandra Mitchum with the score 5-2. The Phoenix still could not stop the bleeding as the Bulldogs added to its lead and ended the frame with a 9-2 advantage.

Elon answered in the top of the fourth to cut the lead to five. Shutt drove in Madison Kadlic and Hannah Olson on a two RBI single to center to make the score 9-4.

The Bulldogs countered with five runs of its own in the bottom half of the inning mostly due to four errors on the Phoenix. A solo home run by Alex Hugo set the final score as Elon went down in order in the top of the fifth to suffer the rule-run defeat.

Mitchum (2-1) was credited with the loss for the Phoenix after going 2.0 innings with six runs allowed on nine hits. Caruso also pitched 2.0 innings in relief and gave up eight runs on seven hits.

Shutt led the way at the plate for Elon with a 2-for-3 performance with a run scored and two RBI. Little also had two RBI for the Phoenix.

Elon closes out the tournament tomorrow, Feb. 14, with a game against SIU-Edwardsville at 10 a.m. followed by a rematch with the Bulldogs at 12:30 p.m.