SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Elon University softball team could not recover from a five-run top of the first as the Phoenix suffered a 5-1 setback at the hands of Presbyterian on Sunday, March 6, at the Spartan Invitational at Cyrill Stadium.
The Phoenix (8-9) had five hits in the game while the Blue Hose (9-8) had 11 with five of those coming in the top of the first. Five different players tallied one hit for Elon with Ashtyn Foddrell providing the Phoenix’s only run of the game on an RBI single in the bottom of the first.
Starter Abby Barker only made it a third of an inning while giving up five hits and five runs. Elise Walton tossed 6.2 scoreless innings in relief and had a season-high six strikeouts while allowing six hits.
The Rundown: The Blue Hose jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the top of the first. A one-out single to right field by Megan Anderson drove in two runs before a two-run homer from Kersten Legacki doubled the score for the Blue Hose. Presbyterian added to its lead on a solo home run on the following at bat forcing Elon to make a change in the circle with Walton taking over for Barker. Walton would induce the next two outs to escape the frame.
Elon plated its first run of the contest in the home half of the first. Kara Shutt reached on error by the right fielder and scored on a two-out single up the middle by Foddrell to cut into the Blue Hose lead. A grounder on the next at bat ended the frame, but Elon trailed Presbyterian by four, 5-1, after the first.
Neither team generated any offense after that as both teams battled in a pitchers’ duel. The Blue Hose did load the bases in the top of the seventh with no outs on three straight singles, but Walton and the maroon and gold induced the next three outs including a double play to escape the inning.
Elon went down quietly in the bottom of the seventh as Presbyterian escaped with the 5-1 victory.
On Deck
Elon is back on the diamond later today for its final game at the tournament against host USC Upstate.