ELON, N.C. – A three-run second inning along with a pair of insurance runs in the sixth inning led Elon past the Longwood softball team 5-2 Saturday afternoon at Hunt Softball Stadium on day two of the Elon Tournament.
Erica Serafini broke open a scoreless game in the third inning with an RBI double down the left field line that scored Allie Eith. Serafini led the way for the Phoenix (3-0) with a 2-for-3 performance with one RBI. Megan White added a sixth inning two-run blast, as she joined Serafini with a multi-hit game.
Elon starter Kenna Quinn went the distance in the circle, allowing two runs on four hits while striking out one and walking three. She faced 28 batters, throwing 108 pitches, 67 for strikes.
Sydney Gay took the loss, allowing three runs, two earned, on four hits while striking out four batters and walking three. Gay faced a total of 20 batters, tossing 81 pitches, 48 for strikes.
Arleigh Wood pitched the last two innings for Longwood (1-2), giving up two runs on three hits and a walk.
In a losing effort, Gay became the third pitcher in Longwood's program history to join the 500 strikeout club, along with former teammate
Elizabeth McCarthy and
Briana Wells. A three-time All-Big South performer, Gay has notched at least 140 strikeouts in every season of her career while going over the 170 strikeout mark in two of her three campaigns in Farmville.
Longwood's best opportunity came in the fifth inning after loading the bases with no out after
Jordan Clark reached on an error to leadoff followed by a single from
Chelsea Whitcomb and a walk from
Kasey Carr. However, Quinn and the Phoenix were able to limit the damage to one run which came on a two-out walk drawn by
Kaylynn 'Bug' Batten. Whitcomb went 2-3 with a run scored and a triple in the game, and she had two of the team's four hits.
In the top of the seventh, the
Madison Blair swatted a solo homer to left field with two outs to cut the lead to 5-2.
Longwood will conclude play in the 2019 Elon Tournament Sunday, Feb. 10, as the Lancers have a rematch of Friday's 10-1 run-rule win over Eastern Kentucky. First pitch is set for 11 a.m.
#GoWood
