CLEMSON, S.C. – The Elon University softball team fell in its series finale at Clemson on Sunday, Feb. 28, as the Tigers completed the three-game set sweep with an 8-0 win over the Phoenix at McWhorter Stadium.
At the Plate
Elon had only two hits on the day with Rebecca Murray and Gabi Schaal each recording a base hit. Murray ended the weekend hitting .375 (3-for-8) against the Tigers in the three games while Schaal was the only other Phoenix player to hit .300 or better over the weekend with her .333 average (2-for-6).
In the Circle
McKenzie Weber (0-1) was handed the loss for the Phoenix as the Overland Park, Kan., native made her Elon debut in the circle. Weber threw 3.2 innings and allowed nine hits and six runs while Kenna Quinn pitched the remaining frames in relief and gave up one hit and two earned runs.
The Rundown
The Tigers got on the board with a three-run bottom of the first. An RBI single by Ansley Gilstrap and a two-run home run Marissa Guimbarda put the maroon and gold in a 3-0 deficit after the opening frame.
Weber was able to finagle herself out of a one-out, bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the second. Clemson reached on a one-out single and stole second to move into scoring position. A walk and a single loaded the bases, but Weber induced the next two outs on a fly out and a fielder’s choice to escape the inning. Clemson however did score a run in the bottom of the third and added two more in its home half of the fourth to increase its advantage to 6-0 after four complete.
Elon had its best chance to answer offensively in the top of the fifth with a runner reaching third with one out. Claudia Penny led off the inning on a free pass before being replaced on the base paths by Drew Menscer. Menscer then advanced to second on a ground out before a single by Schaal moved her to third with just one out. Schaal would join Menscer in scoring position on a ground out, but the pair would be left stranded as a grounder to the shortstop ended the inning.
A two-run home run by Clemson’s Morgan Johnson in the bottom of the fifth lifted the Tigers to the 8-0 run-rule victory
On Deck
The Phoenix heads to Chapel Hill, N.C., for the Carolina Classic next weekend, March 5-7.