Elon Baseball Drops One-Run Contest in Series Finale

ELON, N.C. – In another low-scoring affair, the Elon University baseball team came out on the wrong end of a 3-2 decision in the final game of the Phoenix’s series with the Penn State Nittany Lions.
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Elon (0-3) got a career-long 6.0 innings from starter Owen Lorenz (0-1), but the lefty was charged with three runs on six hits. Lorenz struck out a personal-best eight hitters.

Both of Elon’s runs came on a Cam Devanney home run as the Phoenix managed to record just three hits on the day.

For Penn State (3-0), Nick Distasio (1-0) picked up the win in relief. He tossed a perfect 1.1 innings following the start of Dante Biasi. Biasi gave up two runs on two hits. Eric Mock earned his second save of the season after striking out four in 3.0 innings.

At the plate, the Nittany Lions were led by Braxton Giavedoni who homered and drove in two in a 2-for-4 performance.

How It Happened: Both teams scored all of their runs in the fifth inning. Penn State got a one-out double off the bat of Tommy Gibson before Jordan Bowersox doubled off a ball deflected by a diving Devanney at third to make it a 1-0 game. With two outs, Giavedoni connected on a 1-0 pitch and sent it over the wall in left to give the Nittany Lions a 3-0 cushion.

After Garrett Stonehouse drew a one-out walk in the last of the fifth, Devanney drilled a 1-0 pitch to left for his first homer of the season as the Phoenix cut its deficit to just a run.

Elon’s best chance to tie the game came in the seventh inning. Hayden Platt led off with a single. Pinch-runner Tyler Stanley stole second and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt. Mock then closed the door by striking out the next two hitters to keep it a one-run contest.

Notes:
Elon pitchers recorded 43 strikeouts on the weekend… The lost a pair of one-run games in a weekend series for the first time since March of 2012 (12-11 in 11 innings and 9-8 in 11 innings at Davidson).

On Deck: Elon will host a pair of midweek contests. On Tuesday, Feb. 20, Radford comes to town. The next day, the Phoenix welcomes Kansas State to Latham Park. Both games are scheduled for 4 p.m. starts.