MT. PLEASANT, S.C. – Redshirt junior McKenzie Weber tossed her first complete-game shutout of the season to help the Elon University softball team to a 3-0 win over College of Charleston in the Phoenix’s Colonial Athletic Association sweep over the Cougars on Sunday, April 11, at the Patriots Point Complex.
Elon moved to 13-14 on the year and 6-3 in the CAA. The Phoenix has now won five out of its last six games. College of Charleston fell to 6-24 overall and 0-9 in the CAA.
At the Plate
The Phoenix earned the win despite being outhit by the Cougars, 6-3, and also stranded 12 runners on base. Three different players tallied a hit for the maroon and gold with Carley Davis providing the lone RBI in the contest on her single in the seventh. The Phoenix also drew eight walks.
In the Circle
Weber went the distance in her second complete game of the season. The Overland Park, Kan., native allowed six hits and struck out three with only one walk on 88 pitches.
The Rundown
Both teams struggled to find an offensive rhythm in the first three innings of the contest, with both pitchers, Weber and CofC’s Payton Lemire, dealing in a pitchers’ duel. The Phoenix finally broke through with a pair of runs in the fourth frame however with Rebecca Murray scoring on a Cougars’ error and Allie Eith drawing a bases-loaded walk to put the Phoenix ahead 2-0.
Charleston also was able to get a runner to third in its home half of the fourth. Mia Dittoe led off with a single and advanced to third on a pair of grounders, but Weber was able to induce the final out on a strikeout to leave her stranded.
Elon loaded the bases again in the top of the fifth. Ally Repko, Claudia Penny and Megan Grant all drew two-out free passes, but a fly out to center left them all stranded.
Davis gave the Phoenix an insurance run in the top of the seventh. Grace Kiser and Megan Grant both reached on one-out walks before Davis drove a single down the left field line, scoring Kiser from second. The RBI put the Phoenix ahead 3-0 going to the bottom of the seventh.
The Cougars would have a pair of runners reach in the bottom of the seventh on a walk and a single. With runners on first and second, the Cougars’ Noel Dominguez hit a sharp liner towards left center, but Phoenix shortstop Bella Devesa was able to corral the ball in her glove to secure the victory.
On Deck
Elon begins the second half of its CAA season, facing James Madison in Harrisonburg, Va., next weekend, April 17-18.