Through one inning in Raleigh, shades of the March 5 slugfest between the Elon University baseball team and North Carolina State University showed. Ultimately, the bats quieted and the No. 25 Wolfpack got the best of the Phoenix with an 8-6 victory.
In the top of the first inning, Elon played small ball to push two runs across with three singles and a stolen base from sophomore left fielder Blaine Bower who scored the first run of the game on a sacrifice fly by catcher Alex Swim. Junior Sebastian Gomez brought home the second run of the game with a soft line drive to center field, bringing home pinch runner Wil Leathers who came on to run for Fraser.
The Wolfpack put runners on second and third base with nobody out in the form of two singles and a stolen base by sophomore Trea Turner. After a strikeout of Brett Austin, senior Tarran Senay brought home the first run for the Wolfpack.
After a quite next four innings that saw N.C. State tie the game at two, the Wolfpack bats erupted in the sixth inning for four runs. An error by Leathers at second base allowed the leadoff man to reach. That was followed by back-to-back singles by Senay and sophomore Jake Armstrong led to two runs, both scoring on Armstrong’s base knock. That ended the night for Elon starting pitcher Jacob Baker.
Reliever Jordan Darnell allowed two more runs to score before the end of the inning as the Wolfpack took a 6-2 lead to the last one-third of the game.
The lead was shortlived though, as Elon got all four runs back in the top half of the seventh inning started by sophomore Chris King doubling down the right field line. That was followed by a double from sophomore Quinn Bower to bring King home.
After two batter reached for the Phoenix, Wolfpack manager Elliott Avent went to the bullpen and called on senior lefty Grant Sasser. He got both Swim and junior first baseman Ryan Kinsella to ground into fielder’s choices, but a fielding error by Turner at shortstop on Swim’s ground ball was botched that allowed two runs to score.
Jake Fincher walked to lead off the bottom of the seventh that marked the end of the evening for Darnell. Darnell took the loss, though, as Fincher came around to score on a walk, a fielder’s choice, a dropped fly ball and a single that ensued to give the Wolfpack the final 8-6 advantage.
Elon went quietly in the remaining two frames with five of the six batters striking out.
Darnell took his first loss of the season as the Phoenix dropped to 18-12. Sasser earned the win for the Wolfpack, who moved to 21-10 overall. Sasser went 2.2 innings in relief with six strikeouts.
The Phoenix returns to the field this weekend in Charleston, S.C. against The Citadel. Elon will look to continue its hot streak in conference winning eight of the last nine conference games. Most recently, Elon completed a three-game sweep of Davidson College. First pitch on Friday, April 5 is set for 6 p.m.