GREENSBORO, NC – UNC Greensboro lost both games of a Southern Conference softball doubleheader to Elon on Saturday afternoon at UNCG Softball Stadium. The Phoenix won the games by scores of 4-1 and 7-0.
Junior Jennifer Bonilla gave UNCG an early 1-0 lead in game one with an RBI triple in the first inning. Junior Adriane Audley led-off with a walk and came around one out later on Bonilla's hit down the right field line.
The lead held up for the Spartans until Elon's Jaimie Rao ripped a two-run double to right to give the Phoenix a 2-1 lead in the fourth.
Debbie Zeigler followed with a run-scoring single in the fifth to make it 3-1, while Tracey Dahlen capped the scoring in game one with an RBI double in the seventh.
Junior Vanessa Oakes (5-5) had her personal three-game winning streak stopped after allowing four runs (three earned) on seven hits over the distance. She walked two and struck out nine.
Carol Lilley (4-7) gave up three hits and one run over 7.0 innings. She walked four and struck out two.
Bonilla paced the Spartans with a double and triple, while Krista Judge and Lyndsay Mouse each added a single.
In the nightcap, Laurin Smith connected for a two-run homer over the fence in center for a 2-0 Elon lead after one inning of play. Brandi Jones then tripled and Patti Weber doubled to start the second, giving the Phoenix a 3-0 advantage.
Page Goss added a two-run single and Tracey Dahlen knocked in another with a sacrifice fly in the fourth to give Elon a 6-0 lead. Rao later smacked a solo shot down the left-field line to finish off the 7-0 victory in game two for the Phoenix.
Whitney Meeks (7-0) remained perfect on the season by allowing only an infield single to Judge in the first inning. She walked three and picked up six strikeouts in a dominating performance that saw her retire the final 11 batters she faced.
Freshman Hannah Angel (4-7) suffered the loss after giving up six runs on six hits over 4.0 innings of work. Senior Danielle Byrne worked 3.0 effective innings, allowing one run on four hits.
Jones and Weber paced a 10-hit attack for Elon with two hits apiece.
The final game of the series will be played Sunday at 1 pm at UNCG Softball Stadium.
AGATE
Game One 123 456 7 R-H-E
Elon 000 210 1 4-7-0
UNCG 100 000 0 1-4-1
Elon: Carol Lilley and Jaimie Rao UNCG: Vanessa Oakes and Leslie Furness
W: Lilley (4-7). L: Oakes (5-5). SV: None.
Game Two 123 456 7 R-H-E
Elon 210 300 1 7-10-0
UNCG 000 000 0 0-1-0
Elon: Whitney Meeks and Debbie Zeigler UNCG: Hannah Angel, Danielle Byrne (5) and Kelly Allen
W: Meeks (7-0). L: Angel (4-7). SV: None.
- UNCG -
