The ball jumped off the bat of Furman University’s Emily Boyer, carrying to deep left field.

But Elon University senior leftfielder Tomeka Watson calmly reached over the wall, grabbed the ball in flight and foiled the Paladins sixth inning rally attempt on Sunday.

It was a play symbolic of the weekend as a whole. Elon (14-3, 3-0 Southern Conference) had its way with the Paladins, sweeping a three-game set to start conference play.

“The girls came out ready to play this weekend knowing Furman’s a very good team,” said interim head coach Kathy Bocock. “We knew we had to get ourselves ready.”

After taking the first game 9-1 on March 10 behind junior shortstop Danielle Lafferty’s career-high seven RBI, the Phoenix gave up a 7-2 lead later in the day, but rallied back to win 13-8. The next day, Elon got ahead early and held on to beat Furman (7-13, 0-3) 3-0.

Before heading to UNC-Greensboro for a three-game set March 17, the Phoenix will welcome No. 24-ranked University of North Carolina Tar Heels to East Field for a midweek game March 14.

The last time the Phoenix played a ranked opponent, Elon beat the Atlantic Coast Conference’s Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the Buzz Classic March 4.

“We get motivated,” Lafferty said. “Just like the Georgia Tech game. We were pumped up and ready to go and we’re just ready to take another ACC win from them.”

Last year, Elon traveled to Chapel Hill and lost to the Tar Heels. But the year before, then-sophomore Erin O’Shea shut out North Carolina 1-0 at East Field.

“I’m just kind of going in there like I always would,” O’Shea said. “Just kind of relaxed. That’s what I did when we played them here two years ago, so I’m just trying to keep a relaxed mentality and do what I know I’m capable of.”

Offensively, the Phoenix bats have been productive all year long. Now that O’Shea has moved into the cleanup spot, the top four hitters in the lineup all possess on-base percentages above .400.

Elon also brings power into the equation. Lafferty has hit a team-high four of the 17 Phoenix home runs this season. Elon has slugged 139 points higher than its opponents thus far this season.

“That’s great for us,” Bocock said. “We’re just going to keep working coming up against pitchers. Our biggest thing is just keep working offensively and trying to put the ball in play and make things happen.”

After playing the role of the underdog on Wednesday, Elon has quickly switched to the favorite in its series against the Spartans. UNCG struggled to a 6-13 start out of the gate but managed to win its first Southern Conference series of the year this past weekend against Appalachian State.

“They know that,” Bocock said. “They know that UNCG can just be all over the place, but then they can just come on like there’s no tomorrow. We’re not going to take anybody lightly.”

DO IT JEFFREY

Softball at a Glance

 

Upcoming Schedule

 

@ North Carolina State University – April 18 – 6:00 p.m.

@ Western Carolina University (double-header) – April 21 – 1:00 p.m.

@ Western Carolina University – April 22 – 1:00 p.m.

 

Top Players

 

So. OF Carleigh Nestor - .394 BA, 1 HR, 22 RBIs, 37 H

Jr. OF Tomeka Watson - .375 BA, 3 HR, 23 RBIs, 39 H

Jr. C Camille Hill - .353 BA, 0 HR, 8 RBIs, 30 H

Sr. SS Danielle Lafferty – .306 BA, 5 HR, 18 RBIs, 26 H

Sr. P Erin O’Shea - .287 BA, 4 HR, 22 RBIs, 25 H

 

Top Pitchers

 

Sr. LHP Erin O’Shea – 12-7 (26 app.), 3.08 ERA, 104 K, 60 BB

Jr. LHP Kari Pervell – 2-2 (13 app.), 2.29 ERA, 21 K, 8 BB

So. RHP Karen Berna – 2-2 (8 app.), 3.59 ERA, 7 K, 4 BB

Fr. RHP Caitlin O’Shea – 2-3 (13 app.), 4.42 ERA, 9 K, 19 BB

Jr. RHP Tomeka Watson – 1-0 (5 app.), 3.00 ERA, 5 K, 9 BB

 

Southern Conference Standings

 

Georgia Southern 14-1 (28-14, overall)

Chattanooga 11-2 (27-13 overall)

College of Charleston 11-7 (28-16, overall)

Elon 8-7 (20-13, overall)

Appalachian State 7-9 (17-19, overall)

UNC-Greensboro 6-9 (16-27, overall)

Furman 6-12 (17-28, overall)

Samford 4-11 (10-31, overall)

Western Carolina 3-12 (16-29, overall)