Looking to snap a six-game losing skid, the Elon University Phoenix softball team traveled to Chapel Hill on Wednesday April 10 to face the Tar Heels of the University of North Carolina. Despite holding the No. 25 Tar Heels to seven hits, Elon fell 6-0 to the home squad.
Junior Karen Berna started in the circle for Elon and began with a rough first inning. Senior right fielder Elisha Elliott led off with a walk, then went to second on a single from senior third baseman Haleigh Dickey. The Tar Heels got on the board when senior designated player Constance Orr blasted a three-run home run.
Berna earned a scoreless second but gave up three more runs in the third. Dickey reached on an error, then scored on a two-run home run by sophomore catcher Amber Parrish. The Tar Heels scored another run in the frame on consecutive doubles from freshman shortstop Kristen Brown and junior left fielder Amy Nece.
Tar Heels junior pitcher Lori Spignola surrendered her first Elon hit in the fourth inning, a single by senior left fielder Tomeka Watson.
Elon had a chance to score in the fifth when sophomore designated player Grace Eng doubled and went to third on a sacrifice from senior shortstop Ali Ford, but Eng was stranded aboard.
The Phoenix had another shot in the sixth courtesy of consecutive hits from junior center fielder Carleigh Nester and Watson, but Spignola escaped trouble.
Berna took the loss for Elon to fall to 3-2 on the season with the team falling to 12-25 overall.
Elon returns to play with a home doubleheader against Western Carolina University Saturday April 13 at 1:00 p.m.