Having already been dominated twice by Samford University sophomore pitcher Shelby Scott, the Elon University softball team knew it had a tough task ahead on Wednesday May 8. Once again, Scott had the upper hand and her Bulldogs shut out the Phoenix in the Southern Conference tournament play-in game 8-0.
Sophomore Chelsea White started in the pitcher’s circle and surrendered two early runs on a two-RBI double by senior catcher Alex Adams. Scott worked around a walk in the bottom of the first and neither team scored in the second and third innings.
Samford broke the game open in the fourth inning with a three-run home run by sophomore shortstop Abby Adams off of White. Senior pitcher Kari Pervell came in for Elon and got the Phoenix out of the inning down 5-0.
In the bottom of the fourth, Elon made an attempt at a rally. Sophomore first baseman Grace Eng reached on an error, junior third baseman Johanna Spencer was hit by a pitch and junior second baseman Lauren Oldham walked. Scott was replaced by senior Misha Aldridge in the circle and induced a pair of fielder’s choices to get the Bulldogs out of the inning.
Pervell settled in to keep Samford off of the board in the fifth and sixth, but the Bulldogs put the nail in the coffin in the seventh. Sophomore second baseman Caroline Seay scored on an error, followed by a two-run home run by freshman third baseman Callie Brister. Freshman Kayla Caruso was called on to pitch for Elon and earned the final two outs.
Elon loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh, but Aldrige worked out of the jam and the Bulldogs advanced to face Appalachian State University in the tournament’s first round at 5 p.m. today.
White took the loss to fall to 7-15 overall. Elon ends the season at 21-31 overall.