Elon Softball Phoenix Travels to N.C. A&T for Midweek Contest

ELON, N.C. – The Elon University softball team wraps up nonconference play on its schedule with a visit to Piedmont Triad rival North Carolina A&T on Wednesday, April 24. The Phoenix and the Lady Aggies are scheduled for a 5 p.m. start from Lady Aggies Softball Complex.

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Live stats will be available to follow along with Twitter updates from the program’s handle, @ElonSoftball.

Inside the Series: North Carolina A&T (Elon leads 44-10)
The Phoenix and the Lady Aggies conclude their home-and-home series with the matchup on Wednesday. Elon won the first meeting this season on its home diamond on March 20, winning by a score of 7-0. That victory extended the Phoenix’s win streak to six over N.C. A&T and winners of 12 of its last 13 against its longtime I-40 rival.

Last Time Out
Elon is coming off a Colonial Athletic Association series win at Drexel over the weekend, April 20-21. It was the fourth straight CAA series victory for the maroon and gold, the first time the program has accomplished that feat since joining the league in 2015.

The Phoenix won the opening game, 13-10, in eight innings on Saturday, April 20. Elon belted a program-record eight home runs in that contest – including four in the top of the seventh with the Phoenix trailing 10-4 going into the inning to force extras. Megan White had three round trippers in that contest with her three-run blast in the eighth proving to be the game winner.

Drexel rebounded with a 15-4 game two win to even the series, but the Phoenix was able to clinch the series with a 5-4 victory in the rubber game. White added her fourth homer of the series with a grand slam while Keagan Goldwait added a solo home run in the sixth inning that proved to be the game winner.

White Named CAA Player of the Week
Coming off her strong weekend, White was named the CAA Player of the Week on Monday, April 22. It was the third straight week that the Creedmoor, N.C., native was honored with a weekly award from the league after previously being named the Rookie of the Week. White led the Phoenix last week with a .429 batting average (6-for-14) while also adding four home runs and 10 RBI in the Phoenix’s series win at Drexel

Around the Horn
• The Phoenix is 26-17-1 on the season and 9-6 overall in the CAA standings. Elon surpassed its 24-win total from last season and currently sits tied for second in the CAA standings tied with Drexel. James Madison leads the CAA at its 14-1 ledger with its lone blemish coming at the hands of the Phoenix.
• This season marks the 30th season of Elon softball during its fastpitch era and the 20th at the Division I level.
• As a team, Elon is hitting .261 overall on the year with 204 runs scored, 75 doubles, 35 home runs and 182 RBI. The Phoenix is in the top-five of the Colonial Athletic Association in slugging percentage (.425), runs scored (204), doubles (75), home runs (35) and walks (151).
• As a team, the Phoenix ranks 14th overall in the nation in doubles per game at 1.70.
• With its 35 home runs so far this season, the Phoenix has already surpassed its 2018 season total in round trippers and has its highest total since 2014.
• Elon has also welcomed the recent power surge of senior Callie Horn and junior Morgan Reich with the long ball. After being homerless in their careers combined coming into the season, both players have combined nine home runs this season.
• Ally Repko leads the CAA in walks with 36 and is also 14th in the country in walks per game at 0.82. The sophomore is second on the team in homers with six and is tied with Horn and Goldwait for the team-lead in RBI with 23.
• White leads the Phoenix with her .329 average on the year and her seven home runs. Since becoming a full-time starter versus Campbell on March 27, the freshman has batted .395 with six homers, 17 RBI and four doubles.
• All seven of the Phoenix’s active freshmen has seen time early in the season. Six of those players have had their number called in the lineup with five starting at least 20 out of the 44 games this season.
• In the circle, Elon has posted a 4.04 ERA in 292.2 innings of action. The Phoenix has also struck out 122 batters compared to 147 walks.
• Redshirt junior Abby Barker paces the team with her 14-6 record with a 2.84 ERA in 123.1 innings of action. Her 14 wins are tied for second in the CAA and are tied for the fifth-most in a single-season for Elon at the Division I level.
• Phoenix head coach Kathy Bocock surpassed her 200th career win on March 29, against UNCW. The feat helped Bocock become the third coach in school history with 200 or more wins.
• In the 2019 CAA Preseason Poll, the Phoenix was tabbed to finish sixth by the league’s head coaches.

Scouting North Carolina A&T (8-25, 5-7 MEAC)
The Lady Aggies are 8-25 overall coming into the matchup this Wednesday. N.C. A&T has lost its last eight games including a sweep at MEAC foe Bethune-Cookman last weekend. Wednesday’s contest is the final home game for the Lady Aggies on its schedule.

Offensively, North Carolina A&T is hitting .242 while scoring 90 runs with seven homers and 78 RBI. Three players in the regular lineup are hitting .300 or better for the Lady Aggies including a team-best .350 average from Zadaisha Waddell. Waddell also has been one of the main pitchers in the circle for the Lady Aggies with her team-low 3.51 ERA in 81.2 innings while going 4-7 on the season.

On Deck
Elon closes its home portion of its schedule with a three-game set versus Towson this weekend, April 27-28. The Phoenix will host Senior Day on Sunday, April 28, in the series finale with its seven-member class of Abby Barker, Ashtyn Foddrell, Callie Horn, Hailey Jomp, Tia Mitchell, Erica Serafini and Elise Walton being recognized.