Looking to avoid a three game losing streak, the Elon University baseball team traveled to the coast of North Carolina to take on the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. The Phoenix loaded the bases in the ninth inning, but the struggling senior catcher Alex Swim grounded out to second base to end the game with the Seahawks winning 7-3.
Sophomore right fielder Casey Jones, leading off the top of the ninth in the six-hole of the lineup drew a full count walk. Junior second baseman Will Leathers followed Jones with a walk of his own that caused Wilmington manager Mike Scalf to go to the bullpen.
Senior right-hander Jack Lane came on for the Seahawks and got freshman first baseman to ground into a double play. The twin killing moved Jones to third.
Chris Schaedel started the free pass parade again with another full count walk, then sophomore center fielder Quinn Bower was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
Scalf went to his bullpen again, this time to call on freshman left-hander William Shepley. He needed just four pitches to dispatch Elon’s Swim to secure the victory for the Seahawks.
Freshman lefty Tyler Manez got the start for the Phoenix. He lasted 3.1 innings while surrendering five hits and two unearned runs while striking out two in his first career collegiate start.
Manez was masterful in the first inning, striking out a pair of Seahawks. He held Wilmington off the board in the second inning, but hit the first two batter of the inning, then walking a batter to load the bases. He escaped unscathed, though, when junior catcher Drew Farber grounded into a 6-4-3 double play.
The defense behind the freshman starter let him down in the third inning when freshman shortstop Terrence Connelly singled to shortstop. Alvarez’s throw overshot Lynch at first base and allowed Connelly to move to second. He later scored the game’s first run on a Luis Renvill single up the middle.
In the fourth inning, Manez allowed the first two batters to single, the second of which was helped by a throwing error by junior third baseman Sebastian Gomez. Farber capitalized on the Elon error with a sacrifice fly to center field. The following batter, Manez walked Connelly and Elon head coach Mike Kennedy made the call to the bullpen.
Trailing 2-0 in the fifth inning, the Phoenix took the lead on an RBI double from Lynch that moved Leathers to third base. Swim followed three batters later with an RBI single through the right side to score two more and give the Phoenix a 3-2 lead.
It was a short lived lead faded in the bottom of the frame though when the Seahawks retaliated with three of their own, highlighted by a two-RBI double from junior Ryan LaGrange.
Wilmington picked up a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth and eighth innings to secure the 7-3 victory.
Junior right-hander Tart Blaze picked up the win for the Seahawks, moving his record to 1-1. Junior reliever Ryan Pennell picked up his first loss of the season as the first reliever in for Manez.
Wilmington’s Scalf picked up his 700th career win with Tuesday’s victory.
The Phoenix will return to the field on Wednesday afternoon at 4 p.m. to take on the Virginia Tech Hokies at Latham Park. The Phoenix already have one win over an ACC opponent, a 24-12 victory over then-No. 8 North Carolina State University on Tuesday, March 5.