ELON, N.C. – A pair of multi-run innings powered the Elon University baseball team to a 9-4 victory over the visiting North Carolina Central Eagles from Latham Park on Tuesday night. The win was the fifth straight for the Phoenix, a season-long.
Liam O’Regan led Elon (20-22) at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored and three RBI. He finished a home run shy of the cycle.
James Day went 3-for-4 to lead North Carolina Central (21-23).
The win went to Sean Byrnes (3-2) who allowed three runs (two earned) on seven hits in 6.0 innings. He struck out a pair.
Christian Gonnelli (3-3) took the loss after being charged with three runs on five hits in 3.2 innings of work.
How It Happened: With the Eagles holding a 1-0 lead, Elon plated three in the last of the fourth. With a runner on second, O’Regan ripped a triple to left-center and then scored on Kyle Jackson’s infield single. Austin Leeney’s fielder’s choice brought home a third run to give the Phoenix the 3-1 edge.
The maroon and gold opened it up in the fifth, scoring five times to build an 8-2 cushion. O’Regan ripped a one-out double to left to drive in the first two of the inning before scoring on a Kory Shumate single. Ryne Ogren and Nick Zammarelli both picked up RBI later in the frame.
Notes: Elon’s five-game winning streak is its longest since a six-game streak in 2014… Tyler McVicar’s career-best hitting streak came to an end after 13 games… The Phoenix is now 3-0 all-time against North Carolina Central.
On Deck: Elon will hit the road for just the 11th time this season on Wednesday, April 27. The Phoenix is slated to take on the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at 6 p.m. in Winston-Salem, N.C.