ELON, N.C. – UNCG was swept in a Southern Conference doubleheader by Elon on Saturday, falling in game one 15-0 in five innings before dropping a 1-0 heartbreaker in eight innings in game two.
Game one got off to a rough start for the Spartans (24-29, 10-13 SoCon) and never got better, as Elon (28-22, 11-12 SoCon) sent 17 batters to the plate in the first inning to score 12 runs to put the game out of reach early. The Phoenix scored its first run before even getting a hit, taking advantage of three walks and a hit batter to get on the board. The floodgates opened after that, with Elon rapping out seven hits – all singles – and getting two more walks and another hit batter to put an even dozen on the board with just one out. Reliever Raeanne Hanks got a double play to end the inning.
Kaitlyn Piazzola and Pam DelPizzo had two RBI singles each in the frame for the Phoenix.
UNCG, meanwhile, found scoring opportunities few and far between. April Langley led off the game with a walk and moved to second on a wild pitch, but was stranded there. Langley also had UNCG's first hit of the day, a line drive to left center in the top of the third. Aisha Figueroa followed with a walk to put a pair of runners on base, but Elon pitcher Erin O'Shea got a flyout to escape unharmed.
Elon added a pair of runs in the bottom of the third on a bases-loaded walk to Camille Hill and Jackie Gonzalez's RBI infield single.
UNCG threatened to get on the board in the top of the fourth when Heather Robb and Eileen Horsmon reeled off back-to-back two-out hits, but reliever DelPizzo got a popup to keep UNCG scoreless.
After the Phoenix added an unearned run in the bottom half, UNCG had one last chance to score before the mercy rule went into effect. Langley stroked a one-out single up the middle, but DelPizzo put down the next two batters in order to nail down the win for Elon.
O'Shea (11-11) allowed just one hit in three innings of work, striking out four.
Cory Mattson (12-13) took the loss for UNCG, allowing 12 runs (11 earned) on five hits, four walks and two hits batters in just a third of an inning. Hanks worked the final 3 2/3 innings, allowing three runs (one earned) on seven hits and three walks.
DelPizzo led Elon with a 3-for-3 effort at the plate, while Langley was 2-for-2 with a walk for the Spartans.
Game two was an entirely different story, as neither side could score in regulation. Elon finally got the walk-off win in the eighth on Gonzalez's RBI triple to the right field corner.
UNCG's best scoring chance came in the top of the seventh, when Alex Emeterio led off with a double to the gap in left center and took third on a Phoenix throwing error. Kaitlin Merkt followed with a walk to put runners on the corners with no one out, but Elon would get a big double play to kill the Spartans' rally as right fielder Hannah Shelton caught Robb's fly ball in shallow right and fired home to nail Emeterio at the plate. Kari Pervell then struck out Horsmon looking, stranding pinch-runner Ashley Reetz at second.
UNCG pitcher Josie Felix continued to cruise, retiring the Phoenix in order in the bottom of the seventh to send the game to extras.
The Spartans again got their leadoff on base in the eighth, as Katelyn Bedwell singled to left center to get things started. A sacrifice moved pinch-runner Kayla Hensley to second and a grounder advanced her to third, but Pervell got another big strikeout to end the inning.
Elon broke through with some luck and some timely hitting in the bottom half of the inning. With one out, Danielle Lafferty smoked a line drive to third. Figueroa reacted quickly and nearly came up with the drive above her head, but the ball popped out of her glove and fell for a hit. Gonzalez then sent a shot down the right field line that allowed Lafferty to score all the way from first.
UNCG played fantastic defense in the contest, with Felix leading the charge. The freshman pitcher started a pair of double plays, snaring line drives and doubling off runners in the first and fourth innings. She also just missed a third in the sixth inning, as she fielded a grounder and fired to second for an out, but Carleigh Nester just beat the relay throw at first. UNCG also turned a double play in the second inning, with Figueroa catching Hill's popup in foul ground and doubling DelPizzo off first.
The Spartans also thwarted a double steal in the fifth, with Bedwell catching Hill trying to swipe third to end the inning. Hill beat the throw but overslid the bag, and Figueroa kept the tag on for the crucial out.
Lafferty and Gonzalez had two hits each for Elon in the game, while Emeterio, Bedwell, Horsmon and Kristen Gabel accounted for the Spartans' four hits. Gonzalez's triple was the Phoenix's lone extra-base hit of the day, as all 12 of its hits in game one were singles.
Despite an impressive afternoon in the circle, Felix (5-13) was saddled with the loss, allowing one run on six hits and a walk in a career-high 7 1/3 innings. Pervell (3-0) grabbed the win with three innings of three-hit relief. Starter Lauren Taylor allowed just one hit in five innings of work.
With the losses, UNCG fell to sixth place in the SoCon standings, while Elon jumped the Spartans for fifth.
UNCG will try to avoid the sweep Sunday, with the contest slated for a 1 p.m. start at Elon's East Field.
AGATE
Elon 15, UNCG 0 (May 07, 2011 at Elon, N.C.) (Game 1)
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UNCG................ 0 00 00 - 0 4 3 (24-28, 10-12 SoCon)
Elon................ (12)02 1X - 15 12 0 (27-22, 10-12 SoCon)
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Pitchers: UNCG - Cory Mattson; Raeanne Hanks(1). Elon - Erin O'Shea; Pam DelPizzo(4).
Win-Erin O'Shea(11-11) Loss-Cory Mattson(12-13) T-1:31 A-0
Elon 1, UNCG 0 (May 07, 2011 at Elon, N.C.) (Game 2)
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UNCG................ 000 000 00 - 0 4 0 (24-29, 10-13 SoCon)
Elon................ 000 000 01 - 1 6 1 (28-22, 11-12 SoCon)
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Pitchers: UNCG - Josie Felix. Elon - Lauren Taylor; Kari Pervell(6).
Win-Kari Pervell(3-0) Loss-Josie Felix(5-13) T-1:51 A-370
- UNCG -
