Box Score

ELON, N.C. -- Niko Fraser and Ryan Kinsella both drove in four runs and Kyle Webb fanned a career-best eight hitters in 6.0 innings as the Elon Phoenix baseball squad captured game two of a three-game series with North Carolina State by a 12-2 margin from Latham Park on Saturday.  Both teams now sport a 1-1 record and the rubber match will be at 1 p.m. in Raleigh on Sunday.

Webb (1-0) was masterful in just his second career start.  Along with the eight strikeouts, he allowed just five hits and two runs.  Dylan Clark was awarded his first career save after he tossed three scoreless frames, surrendering just one hit.

For the second straight day Elon took an early lead.  With two outs in the bottom of the first, Alex Swim doubled to right before Neal Pritchard was hit by a pitch.  Kinsella followed and sent a 2-1 pitch up the middle for a RBI single as Swim scored.

Solo homers off the bats of Danny Canela and Chris Diaz in the top of the fourth inning put the Wolfpack in front, 2-1, and proved to be the only runs that NC State would push across on the afternoon.

Elon came right back in the bottom of the fourth.  With one out, Grant McCoury singled to right and went to second on a walk to Cyle Rasmus.  After a fly out, Harry Austin lined a single to right-center to drive home McCoury and leave runners at the corners.  A balk let Rasmus trot home with another Phoenix run as Elon went back on top 3-2.  With Austin on second, Jake Luce singled to center to plate Austin to make it a 4-2 game.

With one away in the bottom of the fifth, Swim reached on an infield single before Pritchard drew a walk.  Kinsella delivered again, belting his first career homer over the wall in left-center to give Elon a 7-2 lead.

The Phoenix added another to its advantage in the sixth when Fraser doubled home Austin who was on second after a walk and sacrifice bunt.  A Wolfpack error put Elon runners on the corners and let a Pritchard fly ball to right turn into a sac fly as Fraser tagged from third to make it a 9-2 Phoenix margin.

After the first two hitters were retired in the bottom of the seventh, Elon loaded the bases with singles from Seth Canipe and Eric Serra sandwiched around a walk to Austin.  Fraser battled in a 10-pitch at bat and laced a triple to the gap in left-center to score three more runs.

At the plate, Fraser ended the afternoon 2-for-5 with a run and four RBI while Kinsella was 2-for-4 with a run and four RBI.  Austin scored three times while going 1-for-2 with a RBI.  Swim had a three-hit day, marking the eighth career game with at least three hits for the sophomore, and scored twice.

The Wolfpack offense was held to just six hits with two hits coming from both Pratt Maynard and Diaz.

Josh Easley (0-1) was tagged with the loss after being roughed up for seven runs on eight hits in just 4.1 innings of action.