After Elon University baseball’s 5-3 victory over No. 2 Wake Forest, the Phoenix kept the momentum going into today's game against the University of North Carolina Wilmington, where it defeated the Seahawks 3-1 in seven innings.
The first two games against UNCW were postponed due to inclement weather. This win was the first game of two, the second of which will start later this afternoon, and will be a full nine inning game.
In the first inning, Elon’s starting pitcher sophomore Shea Sprague gave up a no-doubt home run for an early UNCW lead. Sprague got the last two outs of the inning in just six pitches. In the fourth inning, Sprague found himself in a precarious situation after a lead-off hit, a walk and a sacrifice bunt that moved the runners to second and third. He battled back to strike out the next two batters.
Going into the bottom of the fourth, Elon was held hitless by UNCW. Fifth year catcher Luke Stephenson stepped up to the plate and launched a game-tying home run over the left field wall.
Sprague was pulled in the top of the fifth after getting two outs and allowing UNCW batters to reach the corners via a walk, a sacrifice bunt and a hit by pitch. Sprague pitched four and two-thirds innings, only allowing three hits and one run. Redshirt junior left-handed pitcher Liam Dabagian came into the inning and got a ground out to end it.
UNCW’s starting pitcher Jacob Shafer went four and one-third innings, also only allowing three hits and one run. He was pulled after back-to-back hits. UNCW’s relief pitcher walked the first batter he faced and gave up a single to freshman designated hitter Ryan Sprock, which scored two runs giving Elon a 3-1 lead.
Since being brought in for the top of the fifth, Dabagian took the game under control, closing the game and securing a 3-1 Elon victory, marking a four-game winning streak. The second game of the double header against UNCW is set for 2:30 p.m.