Elon Softball Phoenix Tops Longwood, 5-2

ELON, N.C. – The Elon University softball team continued its strong start to the season, earning a 5-2 victory over Longwood on the second day of the Elon Opening Weekend Tournament on Saturday, Feb. 9, at Hunt Softball Park.

BOX SCORE

The Phoenix improved to 3-0 on the young season and earned its first win over the Lancers (1-2) since 2009. The victory was also the 185th for Phoenix head coach Kathy Bocock while at Elon.

At the Plate: Elon outhit the Lancers, 7-4, in the game with Erica Serafini and Megan White both having two hits each…White was 2-of-3 at the plate with a home run and two RBI while Serafini and Elise Walton also added an RBI…Serafini and Callie Horn also added a double to their stat line…White’s homer gave the Phoenix its sixth on the season.

In the Circle: Kenna Quinn moved to 2-0 on the season after tossing her second complete game of the weekend…The Boiling Springs, S.C., native allowed two runs, one earned, off four hits and had a strikeout.

The Rundown
Elon broke a scoreless stalemate in the bottom half of the third. Allie Eith was given a free pass to lead off the inning and advanced on a bunt from Rebecca Murray. Eith hustled all the way to third on the play as no one was covering to put the Phoenix into immediate scoring position. Serafini drove in Eith on her RBI double down the left field line as her and Murray moved into scoring position with no outs. Elon loaded the bags on an Ally Repko walk and scored two more runs on a Longwood miscue by the second baseman to move ahead 3-0.

The Lancers’ offense would answer in the top of the fifth and join the Phoenix on the scoreboard. Longwood’s leadoff batter reach on a Phoenix error and moved to second on a base hit down the right field line. A walk would load the bases and put Quinn and the Phoenix in a jam with no outs. Quinn retired the next two batters on a fielder’s choice and lineout back to herself and looked to escape the frame unharmed. A walk drawn by the Lancers however plated their first run and cut into the Phoenix’s advantage, 3-1.

The Phoenix offense would come alive again in the home half of the sixth. Horn opened the inning with a double down the left field line with White coming to the plate. The Creedmoor, N.C., native hit a straightaway shot over the centerfield fence put the Phoenix up by four, 5-1, and gave Elon some breathing room.

Longwood applied some pressure in the bottom of the seventh looking to get back into the game. Quinn set down the first two batters, but the Lancers tacked on a two-out, solo homerun to left field to keep Longwood’s hopes alive. Undaunted, Quinn retired the final batter on a ground out as Elon came away with the 5-2 victory.

On Deck
Elon closes out its opening weekend tournament with a rematch against Appalachian State on Sunday, Feb. 10. The first pitch of that game is scheduled for 1:15 p.m.