ELON, N.C. – Five errors were too much to overcome as Elon University baseball fell 15-5 in its CAA series finale versus Hofstra on Sunday afternoon, March 27 at Latham Park. The Phoenix falls to 12-11 overall and 1-2 in conference play.
ON THE MOUND
Cole Reynolds (0-1) took the loss after surrendering six runs (four earned) on seven hits and no walks. He struck out two batters in the three-inning start.
Ian Evans gave up three runs (two earned) on three hits and a walk with one strikeout in two innings of relief.
Sam DiLella was responsible for the other six runs, all unearned, on four hits in one inning thrown.
Cam Seguin recorded one strikeout in two innings of work and
Jake Nolan allowed one hit as he pitched the ninth inning.
AT THE PLATE
Alex Iadisernia tripled, walked and stole a base in a 3-for-4 outing.
Charlie Granatell drove in two runs and finished 2-for-5 while Reynolds hit 1-for-5.
THE RUNDOWN
Elon quickly got into trouble in the top of the first. After a leadoff single, Reynolds fielded a weak grounder back at him and spun around to get the force at second. However his throw went into the outfield and the miscue allowed the lead runner to move up to third. Reynolds was able to induce a pop up to second for the first out, but he then plunked a batter to load the bases. The Pride (10-8, 2-1) then plated two runs on a Kevin Bruggeman double down the right-field line and scored a third on a ground out to short.
Hofstra pushed its lead to 4-0 in the second on a sacrifice fly to center field. Elon finally broke through in the home half of the inning as a Granatell single up the middle brought home
Connor Coolahan from second base. The visitors kept their foot on the pedal as a two-run homer in the fourth made it a 6-1 lead for the Pride. Hofstra then plated another three runs on as many hits and an error in the fifth.
In the home half of the sixth, Offshack was hit by a pitch to lead off the frame. Coolahan then earned a base on balls and the pair moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. Offshack came around on a Granatell hit to right and Coolahan crossed the plate as
Justin Cassella reached on a fielder's choice. Cassella proceeded to steal second and took third on a passed ball, but he was left stranded as Iadisernia flew out to left center. Elon then carried that momentum into the seventh. With two outs and the bases loaded,
Will Vergantino hit a 1-2 offering to left for what should have been a routine fly out to end the inning. However, the ball hit off the Hofstra outfielder's glove,
Luke Stephenson and
Andrew DiMisa both scored on the miscue and Elon cut the deficit to 9-5.
The Phoenix looked to record the third out with runners on second and third in the eighth, but a throwing error allowed both runners to come in. A second error in the inning placed runners on the corners before Hofstra's Anthony D'Onofrio and Steve Harrington drove in three more runs with back-to-back doubles. A third error and an RBI single to third base then pushed the Pride's lead to 15-5. Iadisernia hit a one-out triple in the bottom of the eighth, but the Phoenix could not bring him home.
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NOTES
- Elon's lead in the all-time series shrinks to 11-7.
- The Phoenix left 12 runners on base and were outhit, 16-7.
- The five errors are a season high.
- Iadisernia and Stephenson pushed their reached base streak to 11 games while Coolahan has now reached safely in nine straight games.
- Elon's streak of turning at least one double play per game ends at 10 games.
- DiMisa drew his first career walk and also scored his first run as a Phoenix.Â
UP NEXT
Elon and High Point will play a 6 p.m. neutral-site game at Truist Point, home of the High Point Rockers, this Tuesday, March 29.
-ELON-