ELON, N.C. — Elon University needed to rally from a late four-run deficit before prevailing 5-4 in 10 innings to start Saturday's non-conference softball doubleheader at Hunt Park. The Phoenix then jumped out to a big lead and had to hold off a dramatic comeback attempt by visiting North Carolina Central University in the seventh inning of the nightcap to complete the sweep with another 5-4 triumph.
Offensively, sophomore third baseman
Ava Dolan led NCCU by going 2-for-5 with a three-run home run, two runs scored and a walk. Senior
Courtney Mirabella, junior
Aleyah Evans and freshman
Kelsey Ray added two hits apiece for the Lady Eagles.
Elon leveled its record at 2-2 after being swept by Charlotte in its opener a day earlier. NCCU (0-2) next plays four games in the Buccaneer Invitational hosted by Charleston Southern University on Saturday-Sunday, Feb. 17-18.
GAME ONE: Elon 5, N.C. Central 4 (10 innings)
NCCU jumped out to a 4-nil advantage with a pair of run in both the second and fourth innings. The early scoring was highlighted by two-run singles by Evans and Ray off Elon senior starter Kiandra Mitchum.
NCCU was able to total six singles off Mitchum over the first four innings before sophomore Abby Barker took over in the circle for the Phoenix. Barker gave up NCCU's seventh hit, a single to freshman
Jessica Powell, to lead off the fifth inning. She quickly settled down from that point. Barker (1-1) induced a double play to the next batter and then went on to retire 17 consecutive Eagles to give Elon the chance to rally.
The Phoenix were able to break through on Mirabella in the sixth inning with three runs. Senior Kristin Hoover had an RBI-double in the frame and she later scored another run. Senior Kara Shutt, who scored Elon's first goal, started a two-out rally in the seventh with her second single. Shutt then scored the tying run on a triple to left-center by junior Erica Serafini.
Mirabella tossed all 9 2/3 innings in her NCCU debut. Only three of Elon's five runs off her were earned. Mirabella (0-1) totaled as many strikeouts (8) as hits allowed (eight).
Serafini drew a one-out walk in the 10th inning and was able to score on a walk-off double laser by Hoover over the shortstop. Hoover had three of Elon's eight hits.
Barker (1-1) fanned six in her six innings of shutout relief work.
GAME TWO: Elon 5, N.C. Central 4
Sophomore pitcher Elise Walton took a no-hit bid into the sixth inning and then need needed junior reliever Hailey Jomp to get a two-out save after NCCU put together a rally in the seventh.
Ray broke up Walton's no-hit attempt with a single down the right field line with one out in the sixth. Walton got NCCU to hit into a double play to end that frame.
However, an Elon error followed by a one-out single by Mirabella and a three-run homer by Dolan ended Walton's chances at a shutout or complete game. Dolan launched her blast over the left field wall.
A walk drawn by freshman
Aiyana Campbell kept the maroon and gray comeback alive off sophomore reliever Kenna Quinn. Evens followed with a double in the right-field gap to put the tying runs in scoring position.
Jomp took over on the rubber and she gave up an RBI-single to
Claire Eosso that pushed the Eagles within one and moved Evans as the tying runner to third base with just one out. However, Elon turned a double play for a second straight inning to end the game.
Mirabella and freshman pinch runner
Kelsey Locklear scored in each contest.
Eosso (0-1) went the distance for NCCU, but took the loss allowing four earned runs over six innings. She finished with three K's.
Elon started its scoring with one run in the first and a four-run third inning proved too costly. Serafini drove in a run in each frame and Shutt was the only Phoenix batter to get more than one hit off Eosso.
Walton (1-0) totaled three strikeouts in her 6 1/3 innings of work.
