ELON, N.C. – A season-best three home runs helped the Elon University softball team to a 7-1 win over North Carolina Central on Saturday, March 13, to begin a three-game set at Hunt Softball Park.
Elon moved to 4-7 overall with the win and remains unbeaten all-time in its series versus the Eagles (0-13), posting a record of 13-0.
At the Plate
Elon recorded 10 hits in the game, its second-best single-game performance of the season. Four players had double-digit hits with Lauryn Clarke (2-for-4), Ally Repko (2-for-3) and Gabi Schaal (2-for-3) all adding home runs to their stat lines. Clarke also had a double as did Rebecca Murray, who extended her hit streak to seven games.
In the Circle
Kenna Quinn earned the win in the circle to improve to 4-3 on the year. The Boiling Springs, S.C., native allowed four hits and one earned run in her fourth complete game of the season.
The Rundown
The Phoenix started the game off strong with a pair of runs in the opening frame. Clarke led off the inning with a home run to left field for her first round tripper of the season as the solo blast put Elon ahead 1-0. Repko added another run for the maroon and gold on her one-out single up the middle to score Megan Grant, who reached earlier on a single.
Repko increased Elon’s lead in its home half of the third as the Broadway, Va., native connected on her first homer of the season. Repko took a 2-1 offering over the wall in center field to push Elon’s lead to 3-0.
In the bottom of the fifth, Schaal added the Phoenix’s third home run of the contest. The Lakeland, Fla., native took the first pitch she saw on a two-out blast to left field, scoring a pair of runs to give Elon a 5-0 advantage.
After an RBI double in the top of the sixth by the Eagles narrowed their gap to four, Elon came back with a two spot in the bottom of the frame. Grant and Murray each drove in some insurance runs for the Phoenix, who saw its lead swell to six, 7-1.
North Carolina Central had a batter reach base in the top of the seventh on a leadoff free pass, but Quinn and the Phoenix induced a double play on the next at bat before a pop up to second ended the contest.
On Deck
The Phoenix is back on the diamond tomorrow, March 14, closing out the series with a doubleheader beginning at noon.