ELON, N.C. – The Elon University softball team suffered a 7-1 setback at the hands of Towson on Sunday, April 5, in the Phoenix’s Colonial Athletic Association rubber match against the Tigers at Hunt Softball Park.
The Phoenix (23-12, 5-4 CAA) saw its chances of capturing its second CAA series of the year fall to the Tigers (15-16, 2-7 CAA) after Towson exploded for five runs in the first two innings of the game. Towson tallied 10 hits total on the afternoon while Elon was held to only five as the Phoenix bats were stymied by Tigers’ starter Missy McCormick.
Alaina Hall went 2-for-3 for Elon and had the lone RBI in the contest for the maroon and gold. Hannah Olson, Aly Quintana and Kara Shutt recorded the only other hits for Elon. Kayla Caruso (8-3) could not build off of her performance yesterday as she suffered to loss after going 2.0 innings while giving up six hits and five runs.
Towson plated four runs in top of the opening frame thanks to a grand slam from Holiday Cahill. The Tigers’ leadoff batter reached on a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. After two more runners reached on a single and a walk to load the bags, Cahill took the first pitch she saw and sent it over the fence to right to put Elon in an early 4-0 hole.
The deficit increased to 5-0 after the top of the second. Brook Miko doubled with two outs to left field to score a runner for the Tigers. Elon went down in order in the bottom half for the second straight inning.
Both teams went quiet offensively until the bottom of the fifth. Quintana entered the game as a pinch hitter and proceeded to drive a leadoff single to right center. A wild pitch advanced her to second with Hall coming to the plate with one out. Hall drove the ball past the left side of the infield on a single enabling Quintana to put Elon on the scoreboard.
The Tigers pulled away in the top of the seventh thanks to a pair of two-out solo home runs that increased their lead to 7-1. McCormick set down the Phoenix once again in order in the bottom half of the frame to earn her eighth win of the year in a complete-game performance.
Elon travels to former conference foe Appalachian State on Wednesday, April 8, for a doubleheader in Boone, N.C. The first game is scheduled for a 4 p.m. start.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Towson 4 1 0 0 0 0 2 7 10 0
Elon 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 5 0
Win – McCormick, M (8-5).
Loss – Caruso (8-3).
Save – None.
WP – McCormick, M(6). Inherited runners/scored: Mitchum 1/0. Pitches/strikes: McCormick, M 86/66; Caruso 51/33; Mitchum 64/45; White 16/10.
Umpires – HP: Randy Sprouse 1B: Alex Leap 3B: Kenny Crew
Start: 1 pm
Time: 1:40
Attendance: 167
Weather: 61 degrees and sunny