Elon Phoenix Opens CAA Softball Tournament Play on Wednesday

HARRISONBURG, Va. – Postseason play has arrived for the Elon University softball team as the Phoenix will participate at the 2019 Colonial Athletic Association Softball Championship starting on Wednesday, May 8, at James Madison’s Veterans Memorial Park in Harrisonburg, Va.

CAA Tournament Central

Entering the tournament as the No. 2 seed, the Phoenix (31-18-1, 13-7 CAA) will take on No. 3 seed Towson (27-25, 10-11 CAA) to open postseason play. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.

Follow the Phoenix
Live stats will be available to follow along with Twitter updates from the program’s handle, @ElonSoftball. Nearly every game will be broadcasted live and for free on CAA.tv, which is available online and through mobile devices, as well as OTT platforms Roku, AppleTV, Amazon Fire TV, and Android TV.

Inside the Series: Towson (Towson leads 10-9)
The Phoenix won the season series over the Tigers, taking two out of three at Elon. Abby Barker tossed a couple of gems versus Towson in games one and three to help the Phoenix clinch its first postseason berth at the CAA Tournament since 2016. Barker posted a 1.08 ERA in 13 innings against the Tigers in the series.

Last Time Out
Elon swept Hofstra in a doubleheader last Friday, May 3, in its regular season finale. The Phoenix came from behind to earn a 4-3 victory in game one against the Pride with the win securing the second seed for the CAA Tournament. In the second game, Elon concluded the twin bill sweep with a 7-1 victory in the nightcap, earning its first-ever series win over Hofstra.

CAA Softball Tournament
The five-team tournament runs from Wednesday May, 8 to Friday, May 10, with the winner earning the CAA’s automatic bid to the 2019 NCAA Softball Tournament. Along with Elon and Towson, the other participants at the CAA Tournament includes regular-season champion and host James Madison, who will face the winner between the No. 4 and 5 seeds, Drexel and College of Charleston, respectively, with the Cougars and the Dragons opening the tournament with a contest at 11 a.m. on Wednesday.

Since joining the CAA in 2015, Elon has had two previous appearances at the league’s postseason tournament in 2015 and 2016. The Phoenix’s lone victory at the CAA Tournament came against Towson in 2015.

2019 CAA Softball Championship Schedule

Wednesday, May 8
Game 1: No. 4 Drexel vs. No. 5 College of Charleston| 11:00 AM
Game 2: No. 2 Elon vs. No. 3 Towson | 1:30 PM
Game 3: No. 1 James Madison vs. Winner Game 1 | 4:00 PM
Game 4: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2 | 6:30 PM

Thursday, May 9
Game 5: Winner Game 2 vs. Winner Game 3 | 12:00 PM
Game 6: Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3 | 2:30 PM
Game 7: Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 5 | 5:00 PM

Friday, May 10
Game 8: Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 7 | 12:00 PM
Game 9: (If necessary) *Immediately Following Game 8

Around the Horn
• The Phoenix is 31-18-1 on the season finished the CAA season at 13-7 overall in the CAA standings, its best finish ever since joining the league. Elon has posted its third 30-win campaign in the past five past seasons.
• 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 .262 overall on the year with 237 runs scored, 91 doubles, 40 home runs and 208 RBI. The Phoenix is in the top-five of the Colonial Athletic Association in slugging percentage (.435), on-base percentage (.357), runs scored (226), doubles (91), home runs (40), RBI (208) and walks (172).
• As a team, the Phoenix ranks second overall in the nation and first in the CAA in doubles per game at 1.82. Elon’s 91 doubles this season is also a single-season program record.
• With its 40 home runs so far this season, the Phoenix has posted its highest single-season total since 2014. Elon’s 208 RBI marks the second time in the past eight seasons that the Phoenix has surpassed 200 RBI.
• Elon has also welcomed the power surge of senior Callie Horn and junior Morgan Reich with the long ball this season. After being homerless in their careers combined coming into the season, both players have combined nine home runs this season.
• Ally Repko is second in the CAA in walks with 39 and is also 18th in the country in walks per game at 0.78. The sophomore is second on the team in home runs with eight along and in RBI with 25.
• Megan White leads the Phoenix with her .337 average on the year and her nine home runs. Since becoming a full-time starter versus Campbell on March 27, the freshman has batted .390 with eight homers, 22 RBI and four doubles in the past 20 games.
• 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 21 out of the 50 games this season.
• In the circle, Elon has posted a 3.74 ERA in 331.2 innings of action. The Phoenix has also struck out 138 batters compared to 158 walks.
• Redshirt junior Abby Barker paces the team with her 17-6 record with a 2.67 ERA in 144.0 innings of action. Her 17 wins are ranked third in the CAA and are tied for the fifth-most in a single-season for Elon.
• 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 Towson (27-25, 10-11 CAA)
The Tigers swept Drexel last weekend to earn their 14th overall appearance at the CAA Tournament. As a team, Towson is in the top-five of the CAA in batting average (.274), slugging percentage (.426), RBI (218) and home runs (32).

Towson is led by senior Nicole Stockinger who leads the team with a .365 batting average, 14 home runs and 41 RBIs. She is fourth in the CAA in total bases (105) and fifth in slugging percentage (.766). Julia Smith-Harrington has a .325 batting average and leads the team and conference in doubles (18). Kendall Arcia has a .341 batting average and leads the team in triples (three).

In the circle, Sara Johnson has a 3.43 ERA and a 12-9 overall record. She has 143 strikeouts and is tied for second in the CAA. Johnson is third in the CAA in batters striking out looking (31).

On Deck
If Elon wins its matchup versus Towson, it will play again on Thursday, at noon. With a loss, the Phoenix will play an elimination game later on Wednesday evening at 6:30 p.m. against the loser between Drexel and College of Charleston.