TOWSON, MD – The Elon University softball team won a pair of games against the Towson University Tigers in a doubleheader Saturday. Elon’s pitchers held Towson to five combined runs in the two games.
The Phoenix got off to a bad start in the first game. In the first four innings, the Phoenix failed to put any runs on the board. In the third inning, Towson’s bats got hot, as the Tigers hit a pair of home runs to set the score at 3-0.
In the next half inning, Elon responded as the Phoenix loaded the bases. In the next at bat, senior first baseman Keagan Goldwait hit a double into deep left center field, clearing the bases to tie the game 3-3.
One inning later, Elon scored the go-ahead run, which proved to be the game-winner, when junior catcher Carley Davis hit a single to score junior second baseman Megan Grant from second base. Elon’s pitching stayed strong throughout the rest of the game and the Phoenix completed a 4-3 comeback victory.
Grant and freshman left fielder Chloe Hatzopoulos were both crucial in this game, with each notching two hits and one run. Goldwait’s fourth inning, bases-clearing double gave her three RBIs, a game-high.
The second game started off in similar fashion to the first, with Towson taking the lead early off of an RBI triple in the first inning.
After Towson took the early lead, Elon took back control of the game. In the top of the fourth, Davis posted her second RBI of the day, hitting a ball over the left field fence for her second home run of the season. One half inning later, junior right fielder Drew Menscer scored on a double from senior center fielder Rebecca Murray to put Elon ahead 2-1.
The Phoenix continued to flash its offensive firepower in the seventh inning. Freshman third baseman Allee Seering started things off with a solo home run down the left field line. Following that, Grant hit a single, senior pinch hitter Allie Eith stole second and then scored on another double from Murray.
The Phoenix allowed one run in the bottom of the seventh, but it was too little too late for Towson, as Elon won 4-2 for its second victory of the day.
Murray finished the second game with two doubles and two RBIs. She leads the team with a .363% batting average — the eighth best in the Colonial Athletic Association.
With the two wins, Elon is now 8-6 in CAA games and is fifth in the conference standings. The top four teams at the end of the regular season qualify for the CAA Tournament; however, James Madison University, who is currently in fourth place, cannot compete in the event — which means Elon would qualify based on its current position in the standings. Elon is now four games ahead of sixth place Drexel University.
Elon will look to sweep Towson in Sunday’s series finale at 1 p.m.