WILMINGTON – After an extra innings win in yesterday’s series opener, the Elon University baseball team lost 16-7 to the University of North Carolina Wilmington Seahawks on Saturday, April 30.
The scoring started early, as sophomore right fielder Alex Iadisernia doubled to left field in the top of the first inning. The hit scored redshirt sophomore third baseman Connor Coolahan and freshman left fielder Charlie Granatell to put Elon ahead 2-0.
Wilmington responded in the bottom of the inning, scoring a run of its own on an RBI single from first baseman Ethan Baucom. The Phoenix went down in order in the top of the second, and Wilmington took advantage. After third baseman Jac Croom walked to get on first base, Matt Suggs hit a home run deep to left field to put the Seahawks ahead 3-2.
Elon managed runners on first and third, with one out in the top of the third. Redshirt junior designated hitter Luke Stephenson then singled to left-center field to score a run and advance the runner to third. One batter later, Elon scored another run on a wild pitch, recapturing the lead at 4-3. That was the last time Elon led in the game.
In the bottom of the third, Croom hit a sacrifice fly to tie the game at 4-4. Suggs added to his strong day by hitting an RBI single to give the lead back to Wilmington. In the bottom of the fourth, Wilmington scored two more runs on a sacrifice fly and a double to pull ahead 7-4.
Elon showed resistance in the top of the next inning. Coolahan and Granatell both reached base again and were driven in by redshirt freshman shortstop Will Vergantino, narrowing the lead to one. From that point to the bottom of the ninth, Elon was shut down offensively, going down in order in the top of the sixth, seventh and eighth innings.
In those three innings, Wilmington took advantage and scored nine runs, going ahead 16-6. Elon added a run in the top of the ninth to make the final score 16-7.
The series is now tied 1-1 entering the series finale on Sunday at 1 p.m. Freshman left-hander Shea Sprague, who currently has a 1.40 ERA, is scheduled to start on the mound for Elon.