HARRISONBURG, VA. – Ryne Ogren homered and drove in five runs and the Elon University baseball team’s offense jumped out to a fast start as the Phoenix defeated the James Madison Dukes by a 12-4 margin on Sunday afternoon. With the victory, the maroon and gold has now won 10 of its last 11 Colonial Athletic Association contests.
Ogren’s five RBI were a career-high and the freshman scored two runs while going 3-for-6. Danny Lynch hit a three-run home run and Austin Leeney scored three runs and drove in one with a 3-for-4 performance for Elon (22-23, 12-8 CAA).
Ky Parrott was 3-for-4 with three runs scored to pace the James Madison (18-26, 8-10) offense.
After allowing three runs on seven hits in 6.0 innings, Elon starter Mason Daniels (4-3) picked up the victory. He struck out two.
The loss went to JMU starter Brandon Withers who lasted just 2.1 innings and was charged with eight runs on 10 hits.
How It Happened: For the second consecutive game, Elon’s offense recorded a six-run inning. On Sunday, that big inning came in its first at bat. With two aboard and one out, Lynch turned on a 1-0 pitch and sent it deep over the fence in right field to put the Phoenix ahead 3-0. Elon would have runners on first and second with two outs when Kory Shumate dropped a single to left to plate one. Leeney followed with an RBI single of his own before Ogren recorded his second hit of the frame, this one a RBI single to left-center, as Elon went up 6-0.
Up 6-1 in the third with a runner on base, Ogren crushed a 3-2 pitch to left for his fourth home run of the season.
The Phoenix would add single runs in both the fifth and seventh, building a 10-3 advantage, before sending two more across in the ninth on a Shumate single and Ogren fielder’s choice.
The Dukes would score their final run, an unearned tally, with two outs in the last of the ninth.
Notes: Elon turned two double plays on Sunday, giving the Phoenix 55 on the year, the most for the team since turning 57 in 2012… Elon pounded out a season-high 17 hits in the victory… Tyler McVicar went 3-for-4 and has reached base safely in 17 consecutive games… McVicar recorded his team-high 18th multi-hit game of the season… Three other players have reached safely in at least 11 straight games – Nick Zammarelli (15), Ogren (14) and Liam O’Regan (11).
On Deck: Elon will return home to Latham Park to host the North Carolina A&T Aggies for a 6:30 p.m. contest on Wednesday, May 4.