ELON, N.C. – The Elon University baseball team pounded three home runs on its way to a 13-7 victory over the William & Mary Tribe to even the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) baseball series at a game apiece on Saturday afternoon at Latham Park.
CJ Young finished a double shy of the cycle, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored and three RBI to lead Elon (9-10, 1-1 CAA). Nick Zammarelli and Liam O’Regan also homered for the maroon and gold.
William & Mary (8-11, 1-1) was led by Charles Ameer who went 3-for-5 with a run scored and one RBI.
Ryan Conroy (3-1) tossed 3.2 scoreless innings in relief to garner the win. He allowed just one hit.
Kinston Carson (1-1) took the loss in relief for the Tribe. He gave up two runs on three hits in 2.0 innings.
How It Happened: Elon claimed a 5-0 lead in the bottom of the first. The frame began with back-to-back walks before Kyle Jackson doubled home two. With two on and one out, the Phoenix pulled off a double steal, but a throwing error allowed a third run to score. With two outs, a Tribe error prolonged the inning, allowing Young to single home one. Elon then pulled off its second double steal of the inning, this time sending a runner to second while the other broke home to build the 5-0 edge.
The Phoenix’s lead was quickly erased as the Tribe plated six unearned runs in the top of the second. Back-to-back errors with one out were followed by two consecutive walks, the second of which scored a run. Ameer picked up an RBI with a single to left to make it 5-2 before Ryder Miconi singled home two more. With two outs, Charley Gould drove home the fifth and sixth runs of the inning with a double to right-center.
Elon went back on top, 7-6, in the last of the third when Young ripped his first homer of the season over the wall in left.
After William & Mary tied it at seven in the top of the fifth, the Phoenix quickly reclaimed the lead as Austin Leeney’s sacrifice fly plated Young who had tripled.
The Phoenix tacked on two in the sixth, including Zammarelli’s solo shot off the light pole in right-center, and added three more on O’Regan’s first career homer in the last of the eighth.
Notes: Tyler McVicar was 2-for-4 and has had seven consecutive multi-hit outings… The Phoenix, which had just 11 stolen bases on the year entering the game, swiped six bases on Saturday.
On Deck: Elon and William & Mary will play the rubber match of the series at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 20.