ELON, N.C. – Paced by a complete-game shutout from senior pitcher Kayla Caruso, the Elon University softball team earned a 1-0 victory over its longtime Triad rival UNCG on Wednesday evening, April 13, at Hunt Softball Park.
The win improved the Phoenix to 22-17 on the season while earning its 17th win of the year at home. UNCG dropped to 26-16 as the two teams split its home-and-home season series with each program winning on its home field.
In the Circle: Caruso (7-4) earned her first shutout of the season and tied for the team-lead in victories on the year…The Kennesaw, Ga., native scattered three hits in her 7.0 innings of work while striking out five…She also lowered her ERA to 3.16 on the season and sat down 13 straight batters at one point in the contest…UNCG’s Alicia Bazonski (14-5) allowed no earned runs in her 6.0 innings while giving up three hits with three strikeouts.
At the Plate: There were only six hits combined in the contest between the Phoenix and the Spartans as both teams came into the game hitting over .300…Alaina Hall, Kristin Hoover and Kara Shutt each tallied the lone base hits for Elon…Hall also had the lone RBI in the contest to score Hoover…Shutt extended her reached base streak to 23 games…Hall has registered a base hit in five straight games.
The Rundown: After allowing UNCG’s Lindsay Thomas to lead off the game with a single in the top of the first, Caruso began the pitchers’ duel and retired the next 13 batters that she faced. Bazonski also held the Phoenix offense in check without a runner reaching on through the first three innings.
In the bottom of the fourth, Elon’s Emily Cameron gave the Phoenix its first base runner after she drew a leadoff walk. A sacrifice bunt by Hall and a single to right by Shutt moved Cameron over to third with Shutt joining her in scoring position with two outs. Elon loaded the bases after Emily Roper was intentionally walked, but UNCG escaped the frame unharmed as a fielder’s choice to second closed the inning.
Elon took the lead in the fourth after Hall plated the Phoenix’s lone run on an RBI single to left center. Hoover reached on a one-out single up the middle and was safe on a fielder’s choice play to second due to an error on the second baseman. With two outs and runners at first and second, Hall drove the ball past the shortstop into the outfield gap to score Hoover and give Elon the 1-0 lead.
In the top of the seventh, UNCG pressured with two base runners reaching on a walk and a single. Caruso quickly induced the first two batters to open the frame, but walked the next batter on a full count. A single on the next play advanced the runner to second and gave the Spartans two on, but Caruso retired the side on her fifth strikeout looking to end the game on the next at bat.
On Deck
The Phoenix begins a seven-game road swing this weekend as Elon travels to Towson for Colonial Athletic Association play beginning with a twin bill on Saturday, April 16. That contest begins at noon.