ELON, N.C. – For the second time in five days, the Elon University baseball team came out on the wrong end of a 1-0 extra-inning game as the Phoenix fell in 10 innings to the Liberty Flames at Latham Park.
Both squads managed just three hits. Elon (3-5) got one each from Zach Evers, CJ Young and Ryne Ogren. Liberty (5-3) got one apiece from Matt Allen, Eric Grabowski and Cam Locklear.
Phoenix reliever Derek Pike (0-1) was charged with the loss after allowing one unearned run on one hit in 1.1 innings. Elon starter Sean Byrnes went 5.1 shutout innings, allowing two hits and striking out three.
Shane Quarterley (2-0) earned the win for Liberty. He tossed 3.2 scoreless innings and struck out five. Starter Vinnie Tarantola allowed three hits and walked three in 6.1 innings.
How It Happened: With the game deadlocked in the top of the 10th, Locklear blooped a single down the right field line. Following a sacrifice bunt, Elon’s second error of the game put runners on the corners before a passed ball allowed Locklear to score what would prove to be the winning run.
Elon had multiple chances to grab a lead. In the bottom of the seventh, Young led off with a single to left center and advanced on a sacrifice bunt. Kyle Jackson and Will Nance both walked to load the bases before Quarterley came on to get an inning-ending double play to keep the game scoreless.
The Phoenix had the winning run in scoring position in the bottom of the 10th. With two outs, pinch-hitter Joe Satterfield walked. After nearly winning the game with a homer to right that hooked just foul, Shawn Blake was hit by a pitch to put two runners on base. A wild pitch let both runners advance 90 feet, but Quarterley was able to record a strike out to end the threat and preserve the Liberty victory.
Notes: Elon was shutout at Latham Park for the first time since a 9-0 loss to Towson on April 14, 2012 – the Phoenix had played 133 home games since the last shutout prior to Tuesday… Elon also went to extra innings in a 0-0 game at #12 Clemson on Friday night before falling 1-0 to the Tigers in 13 innings… The last time the Phoenix played a pair of 1-0 games in the same season was 2011 (1-0 wins over UNCG and Wofford on April 1 and April 9, respectively).
On Deck: Elon will get right back to action as the Phoenix will visit ninth-ranked East Carolina for a 4 p.m. game on Wednesday afternoon.