ORLANDO, Fla. – The Elon University softball team had a pair of setbacks on the second day at the Citrus Classic on Saturday, Feb. 25. The Phoenix fell in its first game of the day to No. 3 Florida, 11-0, before suffering a 10-2 defeat to Fordham in its nightcap at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.
Box Score (UF) | Box Score (For.)
The Rundown: After watching the third-ranked Gators (14-1) defeat Liberty in 10-innings, 2-1, in its contest prior to Elon, the Phoenix could not hold off the bats of Florida. UF quickly scored two runs in the top of the first to take an early 2-0 lead. The Phoenix was able to get a runner over to third in the home half of the first as Hannah Olson drove a one-out double to left center and moved to third on a grounder, but she would be left there after a strikeout closed the frame.
Florida added eight more combined runs in the second and third frames to push its advantage to 10-0 to close out the top of the third. Elon would get another runner on in the bottom of the third, but again saw its bats shut down by the Gators.
The Gators plated the 11th and final run in the top of the fifth and closed the opening game with a 11-0 victory over the Phoenix in five innings. Kiandra Mitchum took the loss in the circle to fall to 3-2 on the year. Elon had four overall hits at the plate with Alaina Hall going 2-for-2.
In the nightcap versus Fordham (8-4), Elon jumped out to a 2-0 lead. Walker Barbee’s two-out RBI single plated Morgan Reich, who reached earlier in the top of the first on a hit-by-pitch, to score the first runs of the game.
The Phoenix increased its lead to 2-0 in the top of the fourth as Erica Serafini doubled down the left field line with one out to drive in Carey Million, who reached on a single earlier in the frame.
Fordham put up a six spot in the bottom of the fourth to go ahead 6-2 mainly behind some Phoenix miscues. With one out in the bottom of the fifth and the bases loaded, the Rams hit a bases clearing triple into right center before scoring the walk-off run rule win on an throwing error to make the score 10-2.
Kenna Quinn (3-2) received the loss in the circle for Elon, who had six overall hits in the contest by six different players.
On Deck
The Phoenix closes out the tournament tomorrow, Feb. 26, with a contest versus Syracuse at 9:30 a.m. and an exhibition versus the Czech Republic National team following that contest.