Elon Softball Falls at NC State in Midweek Road Contest

RALEIGH, N.C. – In its first road game of the season, the Elon University softball team suffered a 7-0 setback at the hands of NC State in a midweek contest on Wednesday, Feb. 21, at Dail Softball Stadium.

BOX SCORE

Elon (7-4) fell for the second straight time to the Wolfpack (6-4) in as the Phoenix faced its second opponent from the Atlantic Coast Conference this season. It was also the first road game of the season for the Phoenix after a 10-game homestand to open the season.

At the Plate: NC State slightly outhit the Phoenix, 9-7, in the contest, but the Phoenix left 10 runners on base compared to seven for the Wolfpack. Freshman Katrina Martin was 2-for-3 at the plate for the Phoenix to lead the team offensively.

In the Circle: Kiandra Mitchum (3-1) took the loss in the circle, her first of the year. The lefty threw 4.1 innings and gave up six hits, five runs, four earned, and had two strikeouts and two walks. Abby Barker pitched 1.2 innings in relief and allowed three hits and two runs.

The Rundown
NC State added two runs in the bottom half of the second to take the early lead. The Phoenix induced the first two outs on a fly out and a strikeout with a runner at third before the Wolfpack added a pair of runners in scoring position on a double. NC State’s Samm Russ reached on a fielder’s choice to first and drove in the first score of the game. A throwing error on an attempted stolen base led to NC State plating its second run of the frame and take a 2-0 lead.

The Wolfpack added another two-out run to the scoreboard in the bottom of the third. NC State’s Lily Bishop connected on a 3-1 pitch with a home run over the left field wall as the solo blast put the Phoenix down 3-0.

Elon had its best first chance in the top of the fourth loading the bases with one out. Kristin Hoover received a one-out free pass and was joined on the bases by Tia Mitchell and Martin on back-to-back singles. With the bags full, the Phoenix had a chance to join the Wolfpack on the scoreboard, but NC State able to get out of the jam with a fielder’s choice and a grounder to end the threat.

The Phoenix again loaded the bags in the top of the fifth. Hannah Olson and Erica Serafini reached on consecutive one-out singles and was joined on the bases by Ally Repko on a full count walk. Elon however was induced on the next two outs on a popup to third and a fly out to left to strand the runners once again.

Bishop connected on her second home run of the game in the home half of the fifth. The freshman took a 1-0 pitch and sent a two-run blast over the left centerfield wall to increase NC State’s lead to 5-0. A one-out, two-RBI triple to center field by the Wolfpack aided a couple more runners to cross home plate to make the score 7-0 at the end of the fifth.

Both teams were quiet in the final two frames with the Phoenix being set down in order in the top of the seventh to close out the game with the 7-0 defeat.

On Deck
The Phoenix is back at home this Saturday, Feb. 24, hosting Howard in a twin bill at Hunt Softball Park. The first game of the doubleheader is scheduled for a 1 p.m. opening pitch.