Following a 24-12 defeat of North Carolina State University at home on March 5, Elon University head baseball coach Mike Kennedy and junior Sebastian Gomez talked about the importance of big wins over ranked opponents such as N.C. State.
“Now, we’re going to be a little more motivated to keep working because this shows that we can play those guys and play in a (NCAA Tournament) Regional,” Gomez said following the win against the Wolfpack.
If Elon could get to that far in the season’s end tournament, the Phoenix could hook up with its April 12-14 opponent in the University of Louisville, the eighth-ranked team in the country.
In all three games, the Phoenix proved they belong, but one too many bad luck innings cost the Phoenix all three games in the series and dropped Elon’s record to 20-18.
In game one on Friday April 12, Elon dueled for seven innings with the Cardinals, taking a one-all tie to the bottom of the eighth inning before the wheels fell off.
Dylan Clark was masterful until the eighth inning, as he had only allowed one run on six hits through seven innings. The lone Louisville run prior to the eighth inning came in the bottom of the fourth, half an inning after the Phoenix got their only run of the game, when the tying run was allowed to reach on a dropped fly ball by sophomore second baseman Wil Leathers. After stealing second and advancing to third on a wild pitch, junior Ty Young scored the tying run on a single to center from junior right fielder Cole Sturgeon.
Elon’s lone run came in the form two hits from Gomez and junior first baseman Ryan Kinsella. With senior Alex Swim at the plate, the catcher grounded into a double play, but Gomez scored on the twin killing.
It was smooth sailing for the next three and a half innings until the bottom of the eighth when Louisville erupted for nine runs on six base hits including a home run from junior outfielder Coco Johnson that broke the tie with one out in the frame. Elon used three pitchers in the frame to try to stop the bleeding, but Louisville poured it on to take a commanding 10-1 final.
Though not lopsided final scores in games two and three, it was more of the same for the two teams. Elon jumped out to a 5-3 lead through three innings on Saturday April 13 with the help of home runs from Kinsella and sophomore Danny Lynch, but again the Cardinals chipped away with one in the sixth and three in the eighth to take the game 7-5.
Senior lefty Spencer Medick was charged with the loss after allowing nine hits and six runs, five earned in 7.1 innings. His record now stands at 5-2.
The game was played in front of 4,573 fans, the third-largest crowd ever at Patterson Stadium in Louisville, Ky.
Game three saw the Cardinals score and never look back, as Elon never could get on the board only mustering four hits on the afternoon against Cardinals starter Anthony Kidston, who moved to a perfect 5-0 this season with the win.
Louisville’s damage was done in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, which was capped by a solo home run by junior catcher Shane Crain.
The Cardinals moved to 28-7 on the season with the sweep of the Phoenix.
Elon returns to the field on Wednesday April 17 in Chapel Hill against the No. 1 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Tar Heels. Like the three game set against Louisville, the Phoenix kept the Tar Heels within striking distance until late in the contest on April 9 when the Tar Hells ultimately came away with a 15-3 victory at Latham Park.
First pitch is set for 6:00 p.m. at Boshamer Stadium.