HARRISONBURG, Va. – A walk-off RBI double in the bottom of the 13th inning by College of Charleston’s Sarah Garcia eliminated the Elon University softball team from competition at the 2016 Colonial Athletic Association Softball Championships in a game that lasted over four hours in game time into early Thursday morning, May 11.
Elon (26-25) saw its season come to a close against the Cougars (34-22) after competing in the longest game ever at the CAA Softball Championships. It was the fifth double-digit extra inning game for the Phoenix this season as the contest also suffered a long rain delay.
The Rundown: The Phoenix found itself into some early trouble in the bottom of the first. Taylor DuPree opened the bottom half of the opening frame with a double into left center and moved to third via a wild pitch. She scored the first run of the contest on a bases loaded walk with the Cougars adding another score on a hit-by-pitch on the next at bat to go up 2-0.
After a one hour and 21 minute delay due to weather, Elon battled to get on the scoreboard in the top of the third. The Phoenix had a pair reach with back-to-back leadoff walks and advanced to scoring position after a sacrifice bunt. Kara Shutt brought Elon within one with her sac fly to right field to make the score 2-1.
The Phoenix continued its momentum in the top of the fourth. Elon again drew a free leadoff pass and advanced its runner to second on a stolen base. Erica Serafini stepped up with a RBI single into right center that plated the run and tied the game at 2-2.
CofC loaded the bases in the bottom of the fourth with no outs after the Cougars’ Kelly Sinclair reached on a fielding error. Elon was able to finagle its way out of the bases loaded jam as the next three batters went down on a fly out, a strikeout and a ground out to end the threat.
Elon once again saw itself in trouble in the ninth as CofC had runners reach second and third with only one out after a sacrifice bunt. The Phoenix closed it out thanks to a strikeout and a fly out.
In the bottom of the 11th, the Cougars opened with a single and double to begin the frame. After a runner was tagged out at home on a fielder’s choice, CofC had a runner at third with two outs. Katie Padilla hit a slow roller towards Emily Cameron and Serafini near first base, with Cameron finally making a play to tag the bag before the potential game-winning runner scored.
The Cougars finally broke through and plated the game-winning run off Garcia’s two-bagger in the 13th. Rebecca Mueller drove a one-out double to left center setting up the heroics for Garcia’s double down the right field line that ended the longest game in the CAA Tournament since 2011.
At the Plate: Both teams recorded 11 hits during the day with Alaina Hall registering a season-best five out of her six at bats…Elon left 11 runners on base compared to 17 for CofC…Shutt and Serafini had Elon’s lone RBI in the game…Serafini was 3-for-6 for the game.
In the Circle: Kiandra Mitchum (4-5) took the loss despite pitching a great game in the circle after going 12.0 innings in relief and allowing only one earned run during the contest…She also set a new career-best nine strikeouts while walking six batters.