Pritchard, Austin Homer Elon to Victory Over High Point

With Harry Austin on second and Mike Melillo on first in Elon's first at bat, Bennett Davis ripped a double into the left field corner.  Harry Austin scored easily, but Melillo was cut down trying to score.

Elon added another in the second on Justin Hilt's one-out homer to left-center, his 16th bomb of the year.

Melillo belted the first pitch from reliever Al Yevoli over the wall in left-center to begin the Phoenix third.  The home run was the 16th of the year for Melillo.  

Kyle Mahoney recorded High Point's first hit of the day to start the fifth, a double into the left field corner.  A one-out double to right from Eric Marion plated Mahoney as the Panthers closed the gap to 3-1.  Jeff Cowan's single to left drove home Marion with the second Panther run of the game.  

Chase Austin's 18th homer of the year began the Phoenix fifth.  The shot to center also set a new program record for RBI in a season for the team as it was the 497th of the year, surpassing last year's total of 496.  With one out, Davis walked and stole second before Dallas Tarleton went deep for the 12th time this season to give Elon a 6-2 edge.  With two down, Neal Pritchard belted his eighth home run of the year, this one a solo shot to center.

The Panthers got two back when Billy Alvino hit his third homer of the year with a blast to left that also scored Bill Manion who had been hit by a pitch.  Max Fulginiti followed with a walk and advanced to second on Mahoney's single through the left side.  Drew Geissinger put down a sacrifice bunt, but the throw to first was off the mark, allowing Geissinger to reach and Fulginiti to score as HPU closed to within 7-5.  With runners on the corners, Marion singled through the left side to score Mahoney.  With one out, Cowan reached on an infield single before a double play ended the inning with Elon holding a 7-6 lead.

Manion led off the Panther seventh with a double down the right field line before Alvino's single up the middle drove him home to tie the game at seven.

Elon regained the lead in the bottom of the eighth on Pritchard's second homer of the game, a solo shot to left.  The Phoenix tacked on another when Cory Harrilchak went yard for the 15th time this year.  Chase Austin's 19th bomb of the year cleared the wall in center for another solo home run.  

In the ninth, Alvino reached on an infield single before Fulginiti walked.  A fielder's choice allowed Mahoney to reach first and moved Alvino to third, but erased Fulginiti at second.  Geissinger struck out for the second out of the inning before Marion singled home both runners to make it a 10-9 game.  Pablo Rosario followed with a single through the right side to put runners on the corners for Cowan.  The final out was recorded when Cowan swung and missed at a 1-2 pitch from Elon closer Thomas Girdwood.

Ken Ferrer (8-1) earned the win out of the bullpen for Elon.  He allowed one hit in an inning and a third.  Girdwood picked up his 15th save of the season after giving up two runs on three hits in the ninth.  The save was the 25th of his career, moving him into a tie for sixth in SoCon history.

Wally Scott (0-2) was charged with the loss.  He was hit for two runs on two hits in an inning and two-thirds.

Eight of Elon's nine starters recorded at least one hit, led by Pritchard's 3-for-4, two-run, two-RBI outing at the dish.  Chase Austin was the only other Phoenix player with a multi-hit day and the game marked the fifth time this year he went deep twice.

The Phoenix belted eight homers on the day, upping its nation-leading total to 124 on the season.

Marion drove in four and scored once while going 3-for-4 at the plate for High Point.  Alvino drove in thre and scored twice in his 3-for-5 day.

Elon will break for exams before entering the SoCon Tournament as the top seed.  The tournament will be held in Greenville, S.C. beginning on May 20.