Elon, N.C.- The Elon Phoenix (1-1) fell to the Navy Midshipmen (1-1) Saturday night following a monster seventh inning from the Mids. The Phoenix continued to swing hot bats but could not overcome the deficit giving the Phoenix their first loss of the 2024 season, 21-13.  
 
Charlie Granatell continued his hot start to the season, posting a four-hit day for the Phoenix. Trey Tiffan registered his first Phoenix home run with a ball that was crushed high into the oaks. Tanner Holliman also registered his first home run of the season, giving Holliman 14 for his Phoenix career.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 

• Nolan Straniero took the mound for the Phoenix and Navy provided a cool four runs in his first inning of work. Logan Keller helped the Midshipmen strike first with an RBI single to right field which was followed by a two-run Andrew Manning homer to extend the lead.
• Elon would respond in the bottom half of the frame. The Phoenix would respond with four runs of their own. Shane Paradine registered his first hit on an RBI single to center field, then Connor Offshack would clear the bases with a three-run bomb to tie the score.
• The Midshipmen would respond with four more runs in the top of the second, chasing Straniero from the contest. Hudson Narke would enter for the Phoenix and stop the bleeding with four runs being plated.
• The bats would calm down until the bottom of the fourth. Elon would strike with a leadoff home run from Holliman to close the deficit to three. Following back-to-back singles from James Broderick and Tank Yaghoubi, Charlie Granatell would single Broderick home to get the Phoenix within a pair. Shane Paradine and Connor Offshack would both bring home a run on a walk and sacrifice fly respectively. Trey Tiffan would close the inning with a long double down the left field line to give the Phoenix the lead. Vince Fattore would follow up that with a double of his own to double the Elon lead.
• In the bottom of the sixth, Elon would increase their lead when Charlie Granatell forced a bases loaded walk to give the Phoenix a three-run lead.
• Navy would bring home 12 runners in the top of the seventh following a litany of walks and home runs. The Midshipmen would leave the yard in back-to-back-to-back fashion off Ryan Sprock to blow the game open and leave the top of the seventh leading by nine.
• Elon would add two more runs, one in the seventh and one in the eighth following a solo home run from Trey Tiffan and an RBI single from Ryan Sprock.

 
NOTES AND STATS
 

• Nolan Straniero got the start for the Phoenix; it was his first start on the mound for the maroon and gold.
• Shane Paradine made his first start behind the plate for the Phoenix following an All-America East tenure behind the plate at Stony Brook.
• With 13 runs in game two, this marks the first time since games two and three against Monmouth in 2023 that the Phoenix have scored 10-plus runs in back-to-back games.
• Charlie Granatell continues to swing a hot bat to begin the year. Through two games, Granatell is seven-for-ten at the plate and now has a pair of RBIs to go with it and four runs scored.
• For the first time in his Elon career, Connor Offshack produced a four RBI game for the Phoenix. With his six RBI in the first two games, Offshack is already more than a third of the way to matching his 2023 total.
• Trey Tiffan launched his first home run of the season and of his Elon career Saturday night. Tiffan also contributed a double on the night.
• Tanner Holliman launched a solo shot over the left field wall in the loss to Navy. For the second straight year, Tanner Holliman has homered in the first series of the year.
• Ryan Sprock continues to swing a hot bat, finishing the day two-for-four with an RBI and a run scored.
• In the first two games, five different Phoenix have recorded a multi-hit game with Granatell recording the second four-hit game of his career to go along with his one five-hit game.
• Elon's winning streak of winning games when outhitting the opponent comes to an end at 27 following the loss to Navy.
• The 23 runs are the most scored by the Phoenix in the first two games of a season since Elon put up 24 runs to begin the 2005 season against Wofford. The Phoenix have scored 23 runs on two separate occasions prior to 2005 (2020 and 2015).
• The 21 runs are the most runs given up by a Phoenix pitching staff since 2016 when #12 NC State defeated Elon, 23-3, at Latham Park.
• The series between Elon and Navy is tied all-time at 2-2.

 
UP NEXT

• The Phoenix will return to Latham Park for a Sunday matinee, rubber match with Navy. First pitch time is scheduled for 1 P.M.