ELON, N.C. – The Elon University baseball team saw the Georgia Southern Eagles break a scoreless tie with a three-run fifth inning as the Phoenix fell by a 5-1 margin in the rubber match of a three-game series at Latham Park on Saturday afternoon.
Ryne Ogren recorded three of the seven Elon (7-9) hits on the day.
Georgia Southern (9-7) got two hits from Steven Curry, while Ryan Cleveland drove in a pair and scored twice.
Phoenix starter Kyle Brnovich (0-2) took the loss after giving up three runs on four hits in 4.2 innings. Brnovich would strike out six.
Picking up the win was Chase Cohen (1-1) who kept Elon off the board for 6.2 innings. He scattered five hits and struck out six.
How It Happened: Elon had a prime scoring opportunity in the bottom of the fourth inning as Kyle Jacksondoubled and Zach Evers singled with one out to put runners on the corners. Unfortunately for the Phoenix, a double play ball ended the threat and kept the game scoreless.
The Eagles used the momentum of that escape in the top of the fifth. Jacob Greene led off the inning by hitting a 1-1 pitch over the wall in left for his first career homer. With one out, Georgia Southern had runners on first and second when Cleveland doubled down the right field line. The first run scored easily, but Elon was able to throw out the runner trying to score from first to keep it a 2-0 game. Cleveland would then score on a wild pitch on what was the third strike to Mason McWhorter as the Eagles built a 3-0 advantage.
The Georgia Southern lead grew to 5-0 in the seventh on a Cleveland fielder’s choice and a Logan Baldwin sacrifice fly.
Elon erased the shutout in the last of the eighth. Ogren singled with one out, moved to second on a ground out and then scored on a James Venuto single.
Notes: Ogren’s three hits matched a career high… Elon now leads the all-time series with Georgia Southern by a 24-23 margin.
On Deck: Elon continues an 11-game homestand on Tuesday, March 14, by hosting the North Carolina State Wolfpack. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.
Elon has some good solid arms, They just can’t swing it. Not going to win many hitting under .240..
I’ve watch 7 games so far, and they are very weak offensively. There are MANY in this lineup that’ll whose swing are mechanically flawed and make you wonder how/who they are playing on this level? It look it’s time for change here!
I totally agree how inept they are swinging it. They either recruited poorly and/or hitting coach is incompetent.