As the bells rang out on a warm noon in Elon, North Carolina, first pitch was called for at Latham Park as the Elon Phoenix and Fairfield Stags set for battle in the final game of a three-game series.

Elon won the first two games of the series, thanks to a walk-off single by freshman Gar Hindle in Game 1 and a combined no-hitter in Game 2. 

But in Game 3, it was Fairfield who struck early with a double lined to left field in the first to go up 1-0 against the Phoenix. After being struck out of the first and left stranded in the second, the Phoenix were able to get on the board with a momentum-swinging 2-run double by graduate student Brian DuRoff. DuRoff gave Elon a 2-1 lead.

Head Coach Mike Kennedy said that while the double did give the team a lead, they had to keep going.

“We got to keep plugging away, we got to keep fighting and give ourselves a chance to stay in the game,” Kennedy said.

Fairfield would quickly respond with a homerun in the top of the fifth, tying the game at 2. The score would stay the same through the next couple of innings, with only a couple of base hits and walks being recorded.

When asked about close games like these, Kennedy said that it’s something the team had practiced in the offseason.

“Once the season starts, you’ve been there, you kind of know what to expect, and you hope to put your best foot forward,” Kennedy said.

Fairfield struck again in the 8th with a single into right field, scoring a runner from third. Sophomore Kehler Hamilton would take the mound after that and keep the game a one-score difference heading into the 9th with two outs. After Hamilton left the mound, Fairfield would tack on 3 more runs before grounding out for the last out. 

Heading into the bottom of the 9th inning, Elon faced a 6-2 deficit. 

“You play all nine innings, and they all matter,” Kennedy said. “We’re not quitting till the game’s over.”

The Phoenix kept on fighting and put two runners on base with no outs in the bottom of the 9th. After a sacrifice fly out to advance the runners, senior Jackson Alford was able to get a hit into the outfield for a 2-run single. Down by 2 with the tying run up to bat, Elon would face the wrath of Lady Luck and get out twice with a fielder’s choice and a fly out to left field.

Elon ended up losing the game 6-4, but won the series 2-1 against Fairfield. Elon will play again on Mar. 3 at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.