The Elon University softball team swept a doubleheader for the second straight day, beating Coppin State University 7-1 and Presbyterian College 9-4 to finish the Elon Phoenix Clash Tournament a perfect 4-0.
In the first game, the Phoenix continued to pound the ball against the overmatched Eagles, who they beat March 1, 17-8, in a game that was ended after five innings. It was something head coach Kathy Bocock is really encouraged to see.
“When your continuing to get hits and score runs, it builds confidence,” Bocock said. “We built a lot of confidence this weekend that we can hopefully carry over to the rest of the season.”
Once again, the Phoenix jumped on the Eagles right away. Freshman right fielder Alaina Hall led off the bottom of the first with a single to left. Senior center fielder Carleigh Nester than smacked a double to left, scoring Hall from first. Sophomore left fielder Emily Cameron drew a walk, and then stole second. Coppin State senior catcher Gabriel Ziller threw the ball into center trying to nab Cameron, allowing Nester, who had previously stolen third, to score Elon’s third run.
Two batters later, freshman catcher Emily Roper pounded a 1-1 offering from Eagles senior starter Heather Josker over the wall in center for a two run home run to give the Phoenix a 4-0 lead.
After holding the Eagles scoreless in the top of the second, the Phoenix added another run in the bottom of the inning on a Roper single through the left side to score Hall.
Two innings later, Roper added another run on a sacrifice fly to center to score Hall and give the Phoenix a 6-0 lead.
Nester added Elon’s final run on Ziller’s second throwing error of the game, once again trying to throw a runner out stealing second.
The Eagles were able to break through in the top of the sixth to get on the board, but the game had already been decided.
Elon sophomore starter Kayla Caruso (1-0), who was making her first start after shoulder surgery in the offseason, was excellent, going five scoreless innings, giving up four hits, walking two and striking out a pair to earn a win.
“I’m so proud of Kayla,” senior second baseman Lauren Oldham said. “She’s worked incredibly hard to get back to where she is and it was really great to see her back on the field doing so well.”
In the second game, the Phoenix continued to swing hot bats, scoring nine runs and belting three home runs.
Elon once again used the long ball to jump on its opponent in their first at-bats.
Nester hit a one-out, 1-0 pitch way over the left field wall to give her team a quick lead. Three batters later, after a Roper double off the center field wall, junior first baseman Grace Eng hit a laser over the center field wall to put the Phoenix up 3-0.
Two innings later, Eng hit her second two-run home run of the game, this time to left, to increase the Phoenix lead to 5-0.
But the Blue Hose battled back with two of their own in the top of the fourth. Third baseman Kersten Legacki singled up the middle to score shortstop Hope Rogers. Two batters later, first baseman Erin Taylor doubled off the top of the wall, scoring Legacki and pulling Presbyterian to within three, 5-2.
The Phoenix put the Blue Hose away in the bottom of the fourth, though, tacking four runs onto its lead to put the game out of reach for Presbyterian.
It started with Oldham’s first career collegiate homer, a line drive to right, that sent the entire Elon bench into delirium.
“It felt really good to see everything I had been working on to fix my swing came together in that one swing,” Oldham said. “It felt really great.”
After a Nester double and a Cameron single, Roper cleared the bases with a three run homer to right center.
The lead was at 9-2, and although the Blue Hose would cut the lead to five with two more runs in the top of the fifth, Elon held Presbyterian the rest of the way and took the victory.
On the mound, junior starter Chelsea White (6-3) fought through the Blue Hose lineup without her best stuff, going a complete game, giving up four runs on eight hits, walking two and not striking out a batter. It was good enough to get her sixth win of the season.
With the sweep, the Phoenix improves to 12-5-1 on the season.
“Sweeping the tournament was huge for us,” Bocock said. “But we’ve got tough games coming up. To keep the momentum going, we’re going to have to keep playing well and building on this weekend.”
Elon will once again host Presbyterian on Wednesday, March 5, at Hunt Softball Park. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m.