GREENSBORO, N.C. – The Elon University softball team fell to its I-40 Triad rival UNCG on Wednesday, March 23, by the score of 3-1 at the UNCG Softball Stadium.
The Phoenix (14-14) suffered its second straight loss with its setback to the Spartans (21-11). Elon tallied seven hits in the contest with Alaina Hall accounting for nearly half of that total as the junior went 3-for-4 at the plate. Emily Roper added the lone RBI in the contest for the Phoenix in the third inning.
Phoenix starter Elise Walton (6-2) went 3.1 innings in the loss with six hits allowed to go with two runs given up. She also had four strikeouts in the contest. Abby Barker pitched 2.2 frames in relief and gave up three hits and one run.
The Rundown: The Phoenix scored the opening run of the contest in the top of the third. Elon loaded the bases on three consecutive singles from the top of its lineup before Roper drove a sacrifice fly to left center to plate Hannah Olson and give the Phoenix a 1-0 lead.
UNCG took the lead in the bottom half of the fourth. Danielle Vega doubled to lead off the frame before being replaced on the bases by a pinch runner. The Spartans moved in front on a one-out, two-run home run by Tory Wright that gave UNCG a 2-1 advantage.
The Spartans added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth. Stephanie Bryden had a one-out double to right field and scored on a single to center that was aided by an Elon error. That pushed Elon’s defict to 3-1 going to the final frame.
The Phoenix threatened in the top of the seventh. Hall added her third hit of the contest on a triple to right that gave the Phoenix the tying run at the plate. Elon however grounded out to close out the game and suffer a 3-1 setback to its longtime rival.
Notes of Interest: Hall has had back-to-back multi hit games the previous two contests while combining for only three hits in the eight games prior…Kara Shutt extended her reached back streak to 12 games, the second longest streak of the year on the team.
On Deck
Elon opens Colonial Athletic Association play this weekend, March 26-27, as the Phoenix hosts Drexel for the first time at Hunt Softball Park. The series opens with a twin bill on Saturday, March 26, at 1 p.m.