Elon Phoenix Falls in CAA Baseball Opener

HARRISONBURG, Va. – The Elon University baseball team allowed a pair of unearned runs, including one in the 10th inning, as the Phoenix dropped a 4-3 decision at James Madison in the Colonial Athletic Association opener for both teams on Friday, March 23.

Box Score | Play-by-Play

For Elon (11-11, 0-1 CAA), Ryne Ogren (2-for-4, one run) had the lone mult-hit day, while Matt Oldham (1-for-5) hit his first career homer and Cam Devanney (1-for-4, double, one run) drove in one.

Robbie Welhaf (1-3) was charged with the loss after giving up one unearned run on one hit in 3.1 innings. He struck out three. Starter Kyle Brnovich fanned nine hitters over 6.0 innings and allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits.

JMU (13-8, 1-0) got two hits from both Conor Hartigan and Josh Jones.

The win went to Shelton Perkins (2-0) who tossed 3.0 shutout innings.

How It Happened: With one out and the game tied at three in the bottom of the 10th, Bradley McKay was hit by a pitch and moved to second on a Hartigan single to center. A passed ball advanced both runners and the Dukes scored the winning run on a wild pitch.

Elon was the first to score as Oldham sent a 3-1 pitch over the fence in right field for a solo home run.

JMU would even it up in the second after a pair of Elon errors. With runners on first and second after a single and error, Matt Dipasupil put down a bunt single. The throw to first was off the mark and allowed the tying run to score.

The Dukes would grab its first lead by scoring a pair of runs in the fifth. JMU had runners on second and third with one out when Fox Semones’ ground out plated the go-ahead marker. The second run would score on Hartigan’s single through the left side.

The Phoenix had an immediate answer and knotted things back up in the sixth. Ogren got things going with a single to center before Devanney turned on a 2-2 pitch and sent it off the top of the wall in left-center for an RBI double. Devanney then moved to third on a ground out and scored the tying run on a passed ball. Elon would have another opportunity to score in the inning as the next two hitters reached. The Dukes avoided damage with a sacrifice bunt and a fly out to center to keep things even at three.

In the seventh, the Phoenix threatened again. Back-to-back two out walks and a wild pitch put two in scoring position before a strikeout ended the inning. Elon would also strand a pair in the top of the 10th. Garrett Stonehouse reached on a two-out double and runners would end up on the corners after a wild pitch and walk before another strikeout ended the inning.

Notes: Elon fell to 1-3 in CAA openers… The Phoenix has now played 10 one-run contests on the year… This was the fourth extra-inning game of the season for the maroon and gold… Oldham extended his hitting streak to 11 games, while Devanney and Joe Satterfield have both reached safely in 12 straight contests.

On Deck: Elon and JMU will play game two of the series on Saturday, March 24. First pitch is set for 4:30 p.m. at JMU’s Veterans Memorial Park.