RALEIGH, N.C. – Two runs scored in the top of the eighth inning pushed the Elon University softball team to 4-2 road victory at NC State on Wednesday, April 6, at the Dail Softball Stadium.
Elon (20-15) earned its first true road win of the 2016 season and its second straight victory overall over the Wolfpack (17-21). It’s the first time that the Phoenix has won consecutive games versus the Wolfpack since 2005.
At the Plate: Elon registered five hits overall in the game with five different players recording at least one base hit…Hannah Olson had the Phoenix’s lone RBI in the contest on her first homer of the year in the top of the fourth…Olson finished the game 1-for-3 along with freshman Callie Horn…Kara Shutt reached base for the 19th straight game…Elon left 12 runners on base.
In the Circle: Senior Kayla Caruso (5-4) was credited with the win for Elon after pitching 1.1 scoreless innings in relief for the last third of the seventh and the whole eighth frame…Starter Elise Walton went 3.2 innings and gave up five hits and two runs with a strikeout…Kiandra Mitchum relieved Walton and tossed 3.0 innings and gave up a hit with two strikeouts.
The Rundown: The Wolfpack opened the scoring in the bottom of the first. Meredith Burroughs drove a bloop single into right center to score Tyler Ross, who reached earlier in the frame on a walk, from third. The run put the Phoenix in a 1-0 deficit to begin the game.
Elon nearly had a chance to add some runs in the top of the third. Horn reached on a leadoff single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. She was joined on the bases by Alaina Hall after she drew a free pass, but the pair was stranded as the Phoenix went down on a fly out and a strikeout to end the threat.
The Phoenix did get on the scoreboard in the top of the fourth. Olson opened the inning with a leadoff solo home run into left field that just went over the left fielder. That tied the game at 1-1 at the end of the top of the fourth.
NC State loaded the bases in the bottom of the fourth and plated the go-ahead run off a walk. The Phoenix made a pitching change with Mitchum stepping into the circle and inducing the final out on lineout to first as Elon trailed 2-1.
The Phoenix rebounded to plate the tying run in the top of the fifth. Elon itself loaded the bases in the inning with two outs and scored thanks to an NC State error. That knotted the game at 2-2 moving to the sixth.
As the game moved to extras, Elon jumped in front with the two go-ahead runs off a couple of NC State miscues. Horn and Emily Cameron reached on back-to-back one out walks before the pair advanced to scoring position on a grounder to the pitcher. The Phoenix jumped in front on a passed ball that scored Horn and advanced Cameron to third. After another walked placed runners at the corners for the Phoenix, a wild pitch led to Cameron adding the second run and a 4-2 lead going to the bottom of the eighth.
Caruso retired the side in order in the home half to give Elon the 4-2 win.
On Deck
Elon returns to Colonial Athletic Association play with a three-game series at home against Hofstra this weekend, April 9-10. The Phoenix and the Pride begin play with a doubleheader on Saturday, April 9, at 1 p.m.