ELON, N.C. – Looking to continue its two-game nonconference win streak, the Elon University softball team makes a short trek to Greensboro, N.C., for a midweek matchup at North Carolina A&T on Wednesday, April 20. The game is slated for a 4 p.m. start.
Follow the Phoenix
Fans can keep up with the action of the Phoenix on Wednesday via live stats from the program’s schedule page at elonphoenix.com. Updates will also be provided on Twitter on @elonscores or the program’s handle, @ElonUSoftball.
Versus North Carolina A&T
Longtime Triad rivals, the Phoenix and the Aggies will meet for the 49th time all-time and the third time this season on the softball diamond. In a series dating back to 1991 in Elon’s fastpitch era, the maroon and gold holds a 38-10 advantage all-time over North Carolina A&T and has won seven of the past eight meetings.
This year, the two teams have split both its meetings with both games coming in Elon. The Phoenix defeated the Aggies 14-4 on Feb. 17, which included five RBI and a home run from sophomore Kristin Hoover. Elon however fell to North Carolina A&T in the most recent contest, 4-1 on Feb. 27.
Leading Off For Elon
• Elon will look to extend its current two-game nonconference win streak on Wednesday against the Aggies. The Phoenix previously won at NC State and UNCG the previous two weeks.
• The Phoenix has scored 218 total runs through its 42 games this season, which matches its overall total from all of last season. Most of those runs have come in the fourth inning this year (45) as Elon has a +40 run differential over its opponents.
• As a team, Elon is hitting .297 and is in the top-five of the Colonial Athletic Association in average, runs, doubles (57), home runs (21), RBI (181) while pacing the league in triples (12).
• Kara Shutt is second in the CAA with her .426 average and has a league-best 58 hits and 14 doubles on the year. Her 28 career doubles moves her into sole possession of 10th all-time in school history.
• Senior Kayla Caruso recorded her fifth career save against Towson on Saturday, April 16. That moved her into a tie for second all-time in school history with Erin O’Shea (2009-12) and one behind tying the all-time school record shared by Jen Lamb (2003-04) and Caitlin O’Shea (2012-15).
• Junior Emily Roper is 27th in the country in hit-by-pitches per game at 0.31. In her career, Roper has drawn 35 hit-by-pitches including a CAA-best 13 this season.
Perfecto
Rookie Abby Barker tossed the program’s first-ever perfect game at the Division I level in Elon’s 8-0 win over Niagara on Friday, March 11. The Granville, Ohio, native had three strikeouts in her 6.0 innings of work and only threw 74 pitches in the contest against the Purple Eagles. It’s also the first time that Elon has no-hit an opponent since 2011.
Scouting the Phoenix (23-19, 7-5 CAA)
The Phoenix fell at Towson in its most recent league series this past weekend, April 16-17. Elon won the opening game of the series, 3-2, on Saturday, but dropped the final two contest to fall to 7-5 in CAA play, which sits at third in the league standings.
After hitting .225 during the Towson series, Elon’s overall average fell below .300 for the first time this season at .297. It still stands as Elon’s highest team batting average since the 2011 season with five regulars hitting north of .300 contributing to that average. The Phoenix will look for its offense to get off to a quick start against the Aggies as the Phoenix holds a 41-27 run advantage against teams in the opening frame. Overall, Elon is 13-3 when plating a run in the first inning.
Over her last six appearances, Caruso has posted a 1.64 ERA in her 25.2 innings with a 3-1 record and a save. She has a shutout during that frame and is tied for the team-lead with seven wins on the year along with rookie Elise Walton.
Scouting North Carolina A&T (14-25)
The Aggies are mired in an 11-game losing streak after falling to Western Carolina in a doubleheader last Wednesday, April 13, at home. North Carolina A&T’s last win came on March 26 against South Carolina State.
The Aggies are batting .279 on the season with Raven Gray having a team-best .383 average among players with more than 100 at-bats. She is also the team’s top run producer with 25 RBI with Zadaisha Young-Waddell second on the team with 24 RBI and a team-best six home runs. Young-Waddell also has a appeared in a team-high 24 games in the circle for A&T and has tossed 90.0 innings while posting a 4-13 record and a 5.37 ERA.
On Deck
Elon is back on the road to UNCW for a CAA series this upcoming weekend, April 23-24. The Phoenix and the Seahawks open with a twin bill at 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 23.