The Elon University softball team split a Saturday doubleheader against the College of Charleston Cougars Saturday, winning game one 3-0 and losing game two 5-4 at Hunt Softball Park.
With the team’s game one victory, head coach Kathy Bocock earned her 500th career victory. With 263 career wins at Elon, she is now just five wins away from tying Sue Leonard for the second most wins in program history.
Neither team scored in the first game until sophomore third baseman Gabi Schaal hit her ninth home run of the season to score three runs and give Elon a 3-0 lead. Schaal had a team-high two hits in the first game.
Freshman Taylor Cherry and graduate student Alexa Nemeth combined for the seven inning shutout, as the two pitchers allowed just three hits and totaled nine strikeouts. This was the sixth shutout victory of the season for Elon.
Elon fell behind 1-0 early in game two but an RBI single from junior catcher Carley Davis in the bottom of the first inning tied the game at 1-1.
Charleston scored a run in the fourth to go back ahead 2-1 but Elon responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth, as Schaal scored on a fielder’s choice and senior outfielder Allie Eith scored while Charleston’s defense tried to tag out Davis on the path between first and second base.
Up 3-2 entering the seventh inning, Elon kept freshman pitcher Isley Duggins in the game to try to finish out the win. However, Charleston scored three runs in the frame to take a 5-3 lead, with one run coming from a throwing error, another coming on a sacrifice fly and the final coming on a passed ball.
Elon added a run in the bottom of the seventh as senior center fielder Rebecca Murray scored while Charleston’s defense attempted to tag out junior second baseman Megan Grant at first base. After a walk by Schaal, Grant was tagged out at third base as Davis advanced to first base on a fielder’s choice. With Schaal on second and Davis on first, junior infielder Claudia Penny grounded out to end the game.
While Elon outhit Charleston 7-5 in game two, the Phoenix left seven runners on base. Schaal and Murray both had a team-high two hits.
Now 2-6 in Colonial Athletic Association games, Elon sits in seventh place out of eight teams in the conference standings. Only the top four teams at the end of the regular season qualify for the CAA Tournament, which Elon will host this May. Elon and Charleston will play again tomorrow at 1 p.m. in the final game of the weekend series.