In their return to conference play, the Elon University softball team experienced the all-too-familiar feeling of being swept in weekend series action, this time at the hands of the Mountaineers of Appalachian State University, 7-3, 8-5 and 7-1.
In game one, sophomore pitcher Chelsea White again for the Phoenix and surrendered five runs in 2.2 innings. A three-run home run by freshman shortstop Pepper Butler in the second inning opened the scoring for the Mountaineers who then tacked on two more in the third.
Elon scored a run in the top of the third when junior center fielder Carleigh Nester hit a home run. The host Mountaineers, however, were too tough for Elon, tacking on two more runs off of junior relief pitcher Karen Berna. The Phoenix was able to muster a pair of runs in the fifth off of RBI singles from sophomore first baseman Sarah Little and sophomore third baseman Grace Eng. In the end, those runs were too little too late as Appalachian State went on to take a 7-3 win.
White took the loss to drop her record to 2-11.
Game two was a high-scoring affair early on with a combined 12 runs in the first three innings. Freshman Kayla Caruso started in the circle for Elon and gave up three runs in the second inning, though her team would grab the lead in the next frame.
Senior shortstop Ali Ford, making her season debut for the Phoenix after finishing her basketball career, singled to begin the frame. Sophomore designated player Lauren Oldham followed up with a bunt single and Nester crushed a three-run home run to tie the game. Sophomore catcher Aly Quintana gave the Phoenix the lead with a two-RBI single later in the inning.
The Mountaineers responded with four runs in the bottom of the third and added an insurance run in the sixth to reach the final score of 8-5.
Quintana’s two hits led the way for Elon in the second game. Nester had two hits on the day, both home runs.
In the third game of the series on Sunday, early pitching troubles again plagued the Phoenix. Caruso got the start again and surrendered a pair of runs in 1.2 innings. Berna followed, allowing four runs while getting only one out. By the time White entered the game and gave up a run of her own, the Mountaineers led 7-0.
Elon was able to get on the board when Nester hit her third home run of the weekend in the fifth inning, part of a four-hit game for the junior from Kernersville.
Caruso took the loss to drop to 6-10 on the season, while the Phoenix's overall record falls to 12-24, 2-10 in conference.
Elon will be back in action on Saturday, April 13, when it hosts Western Carolina University for a 1:00 p.m. doubleheader.