ELON, N.C. – Two different games played out at Latham Park on Saturday, Feb. 20, as the Wright State Raiders swept a doubleheader from the homestanding Elon Phoenix by scores of 13-11, in 10 innings, and 10-2.
Game 1 – Elon 11, Wright State 13 (10 Innings)
Kyle Jackson homered three times, including two three-run shots, and drove in seven to pace the Elon (0-2) offense in the opener. It marked the first three-homer game by an Elon player since Bennett Davis did so on May 29, 2009 against Southern Miss. Ryne Ogren also recorded three of Elon’s 13 hits in the game.
Gabe Snyder hit a grand slam and drove in five runs to lead Wright State (2-0). Sean Murphy also homered, drove in two and scored four runs.
Chris Hall (0-1) took the loss after allowing two unearned runs in 1.1 innings of work.
The win went to Jack Van Horn (1-0) who kept Elon off the board for the final 1.2 innings.
How It Happened: Snyder’s grand slam in the first staked the Raiders to an early lead before Elon came back with three in the last of the first on Jackson’s first dinger of the day.
With Wright State leading 7-3 in the fourth, the Phoenix crawled back with two in the fourth and another two in the fifth to tie it at seven. With two down in the top of the sixth, the Raiders loaded the bases with two hit batters and a walk before an error and hit batter allowed two runs to score. Elon got a runner on third with one out in the bottom of the sixth when Ogren singled to make it 9-8. With two on, Jackson drilled his second three-run shot of the afternoon and put the Phoenix in front 11-9. A two-run double from Matt Morrow knotted the game at 11 in the top of the seventh.
The game remained tied until the top of the 10th when an error, stolen base and passed ball put a Raider runner at third with no outs. Following a shallow fly out and intentional walk, a second Phoenix error allowed the go-ahead run to score. Wright State would tack on one more to put the game away.
Notes: Elon stranded nine runners, including leading the bases loaded twice… The Phoenix went 6-for-12 with runners in scoring position.
Game 2 – Elon 2, Wright State 10
Jackson continued his hot start by going 3-for-4 with a run scored in the nightcap. Nick Zammarelli added two hits and drove in a run for the Phoenix (0-3).
Ryan Fucci doubled and homered during his 3-for-5 performance for Wright State (3-0). Fucci scored twice and drove in three. Snyder was 2-for-4 with two runs and three RBI in the second outing of the day.
The loss went to Nick Beaulac (0-1) who was charged with 10 runs (seven earned) on seven hits in four innings. Derek Pike followed Beaulac to the mound and went 5.0 innings, allowing just two hits and striking out six hitters.
Trevor Swaney (1-0) picked up the win as he allowed just one run on four hits in 6.0 innings out of the bullpen.
How It Happened: After the first two hitters of the game were retired, Mitch Roman drew a walk. After Roman stole second, Fucci singled home the game’s first run. That was followed by a two-run homer from Snyder. Another walk was immediately followed by John Brodner’s two-run shot to right to give Wright State a 5-0 lead.
Elon got one in the second when Danny Lynch tripled home CJ Young.
Up 6-1 in the fifth, the Raiders tacked on four runs, including three on Fucci’s home run. Elon would plate its final run on back-to-back doubles from Jackson and Zammarelli in the sixth.
On Deck: Elon will look to avoid a four-game sweep by wrapping up its series with Wright State on Sunday, Feb. 21. First pitch is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.