ELON, N.C. – The Elon University softball team travels to Spartanburg, S.C., this weekend, March 5-6, for its final road tournament of the season, the Buffalo Wild Wings Spartan Invitational hosted by USC Upstate. The field for this weekend includes the host Spartans, SIU-Edwardsville, Valparaiso and Presbyterian.
Elon’s Schedule
Saturday, March 5
vs. Valparaiso: 3 p.m.
vs. SIUE: 5 p.m.
Sunday, March 6
vs. Presbyterian: 1 p.m.
vs. USC Upstate: 3 p.m.
Live Coverage
Fans can follow the Phoenix via live stats over the weekend at the tournament. Updates will also be provided on Twitter at @elonscores and at the program’s handle @ElonUSoftball.
Series Histories
The Phoenix heads into the tournament this weekend with a combined record of 6-1 all-time versus the field. Elon and Presbyterian have met five times on the softball diamond in a series dating only back to 2012 with the Phoenix winning all five games including twice during the 2014 season.
Elon and USC Upstate have only squared off versus each other once all-time with the two programs meeting last year on Opening Day at Elon. The Phoenix earned a 4-3 victory over the Spartans with Emily Cameron driving in two runs in the contest while Kiandra Mitchum earned the complete game win in her first collegiate start.
The Phoenix and SIUE also are meeting for only the second time on the softball field as the two programs faced each other last year at the Georgia Softball Classic. The Cougars prevailed with a 3-2 victory over the maroon and gold despite two RBI from Alaina Hall. Elon and Valparaiso are meeting for the first time.
Leading Off For Elon
• Through its first 14 games, the Phoenix is hitting .320, second in the Colonial Athletic Association, and has seven players hitting above .300 among its regulars.
• Elon is 14th overall in the country in triples per game (0.43) and 17th in the nation in doubles per game (1.93).
• The Phoenix paces the CAA in total doubles (27), triples (six) and hit-by-pitches (10) and is second in total RBI (73), total runs (82) and slugging percentage (.479).
• In the circle, Elon’s 3.46 ERA and opposing batting average (.258) is fifth overall in the league. The staff is also fourth in the CAA total shutouts (two).
• Elon is outscoring its opponents 82-59 and has plated the majority of its runs in the first (18) and fourth (17) innings.
• Sophomore Kara Shutt currently leads the CAA in doubles with eight through 14 games. She’s 13th in the nation in doubles per contest at 0.57.
• Junior Alaina Hall is tied for the league lead in total triples with two and is 14th overall in the nation.
Last Time Out
The Phoenix posted a 3-1 ledger last weekend at its first home tournament of the year, the Elon Phoenix Classic. After suffering a 4-1 setback to North Carolina A&T in its tournament opener, Elon rebounded to win three straight to close out the weekend against Fairleigh Dickinson. The maroon and gold swept the Knights in a twin bill last Sunday, Feb. 28, with Elon winning game one, 6-0, and completing the sweep with a 9-4 victory in game two.
Foddrell Named CAA Rookie of the Week
Freshman Ashtyn Foddrell was named the CAA Rookie of the Week on Tuesday, March 1, after the Warrenton, Va., native batted .455 (5-for-11) last weekend. She also had four runs, three RBI and a .818 slugging percentage in the Phoenix’s four games. Foddrell belted her first career homer against Fairleigh Dickinson on Feb. 27 while going 2-for-3 with a double and two runs scored. She also put up a 2-for-4 performance in the finale versus the Knights on Feb. 28 with an RBI and two runs scored.
Foddrell becomes the second player for Elon to receive a CAA weekly award this season. Sophomore Kara Shutt was also honored by the league as the Player of the Week on Feb. 16.
Scouting the Phoenix
With its three wins last weekend, the Phoenix returned to .500 on the season at 7-7. Four of the Phoenix’s losses have come against teams ranked in the top-15 including a 3-1 setback to No. 1 Florida. The other three defeats have come by three runs or fewer.
Elon is hitting .320 overall with seven players hitting better than .300 among the regulars. Shutt has a team-best .419 average along with 18 hits, 11 RBI and a .651 slugging percentage. Hall is close behind with her .395 average with 17 hits and is tied with Shutt for the team-lead with 11 RBI. She also is tied for the team-lead in home runs with Kristin Hoover with two.
The Phoenix pitching staff had a 0.75 ERA in its four games last week in 28.0 innings of work. Elon hurlers have struck out 61 batters while walking 38 and have allowed hitters to bat .258 against them.
Scouting the field
Valparaiso: The Crusaders are heading into the tournament with a 0-9 record after going 0-4 at the Hilltopper Spring Fling last weekend at Western Kentucky. Prior to the season, Valparaiso was selected to finish fourth in the 2016 Horizon League Preaseaon Poll after coming off a 16-35 record in 2015. The Crusaders are hitting only .182 with one player hitting better than .300 in Kaitlyn Ranieri. Ranieri is also the team-leader with three RBI and her lone home run. In the circle, Valparaiso has a team ERA of 8.06 through 53 innings of work.
SIUE: The Cougars are 3-6 on the season after a 1-3 trip at the Mardi Gras Invitational. SIUE has yet to play a game at home as all nine games have come at tournaments in Florida and Mississippi. Members of the Ohio Valley Conference, the Cougars were tabbed to defend its regular-season title from a year ago in the 2016 preseason league rankings. SIUE is hitting .251 as a team with 21 runs scored and 17 RBI. Rachel Keller is the team’s top run producer with four RBI and her .333 average while the Cougars have relied on pitchers Baylee Douglass and Ashley Koziol with the pair combining for a 2.53 ERA.
Presbyterian: Going into the weekend with a 7-6 record, the Blue Hose are coming off a split a Savannah State in a doubleheader on Wednesday, March 2. Selected to finish sixth in the 2016 Big South Preseason Poll, the Blue Hose are led by second-year head coach Britne Stubbs. The squad is hitting .278 with three players hitting north of .300 among its regulars. Hope Rogers has team-bests in average (.419) along with seven home runs and 15 RBI. The Phoenix’s matchup vs. the Blue Hose will be a family affair as junior Blaire Miller is the niece of Elon head coach Kathy Bocock.
USC Upstate: Coming off a 44-10 overall record and a third straight appearance in an NCAA Regional last season, the Spartans are 13-2 on the young season and have won three straight after a sweep of Furman last Tuesday. Picked to finish second in the 2016 Atlantic Sun Preseason poll, the Spartans are batting .361 as a team with 116 runs scored, 22 home runs and 107 RBI. Nine players are hitting over .300 in the Spartans lineup and two are north of .400 in Brittany Case (.444) and Amy Szymanowski (.435). Six different players have 10 or more RBI with Szymanowski having a team-best 22. USC Upstate’s pitching staff has allowed only a 1.90 ERA in its 96.0 innings and has struck out 108 batters.
On Deck
The Phoenix returns Elon for the first of nine straight home games as the maroon and gold hosts North Carolina on Wednesday, March 9. That game is scheduled for a 5 p.m. first pitch.