Becoming just the second team in Southern Conference tournament history to win the tournament after dropping a first round game, the Elon University baseball team defied the odds by winning the title after coming out on top in five straight games, which tied a season high winning streak.
The prize: the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Entering the NCAA Tournament as a No. 3 seed, the Phoenix will head to Charlottesville, Va. for the regional round. The tournament kicks off Friday May 31 with Elon matching up against the University of North Carolina at Wilmington for the third time this season.
On March 12, the Phoenix dropped a 7-3 decision at the hands of the Seahawks. As part of a six-game losing streak in the middle of April, the Phoenix dropped the second of the six to UNCW 8-5 at home at Latham Park.
The top seed in the region is the University of Virginia Cavaliers. They take on the fourth-seeded United States Military Academy (Army) Black Knights at 1 p.m. Friday.
The winner of the Regional will move on to the Super Regional against the winner of the Starkville Regional, which is hosted by Mississippi State University.
The Phoenix reached the tournament by winning five straight games from Thursday May 23 to Sunday May 26.
Having lost the opening game Wednesday May 22 against host Furman University by a score of 10-1, Elon had its back against the wall from the start.
The Phoenix beat College of Charleston May 23 to eliminate the Cougars. College of Charleston took two of three from the Phoenix at Latham Park in early March. It was the first conference series for both teams on the year.
Elon exacted a measure of revenge on Furman May 24 when Elon eliminated the Paladins to reach the SoCon semifinals behind a complete game from Andrew MacDonald. Normally a reliever, it was the senior’s third start of his career.
Facing Georgia Southern University May 25, all the Eagles had to do was win one game. Elon needed to win two because of the double elimination format. Georgia Southern failed to win a game after blowing leads in both games of what turned into a doubleheader.
In game one, Elon fell behind early, but fought back with a six-run sixth inning. The Phoenix went on to win game one by a final of 11-4.
With The Citadel waiting for the winner of game two between Elon and Georgia Southern, the game followed a similar trend when Georgia Southern jumped early on Elon starter Dylan Clark. He had missed the end of the regular season with an injury.
Trailing 6-2 going to the top of the seventh inning, Elon scored five runs to take a 7-6 lead and Kyle Webb came on with the bases loaded looking to get the final two outs. He did just that, as the Phoenix advanced to the championship game, becoming the first team to do so after losing the opening game of the tournament since it changed formats in 2009.
Webb, Clark, Ryan Kinsella, Antonio Alvarez and Sebastian Gomez were named to the All-Tournament team.
With Elon reaching the NCAA Tournament, it marks the fourth Elon program represented in NCAA postseason play this season.
First pitch between the Phoenix and the Seahawks is set for 6 p.m. with the winner playing the winner of Virginia and Army Friday afternoon. The loser would play the loser of Virginia and Army with the loser of that game going home.