Elon, N.C.- Will Vergantino finished with two extra-base hits including a two-run, two-out eighth inning double to help lift the Elon Phoenix (15-22, 5-8 CAA) over the Monmouth Hawks (10-22, 4-9 CAA). The Phoenix took game one of the weekend series, 5-3 Friday night.
Vergantino got the scoring going in the bottom of the second with a solo home run to right field, his fourth of the season.
Kenny Mallory Jr. had his sixth multi-hit game in CAA play with a three-for-five night with an RBI and a run scored.
Nolan Straniero had his best start in an Elon uniform Friday night. Straniero went five innings and surrendered just one hit and an unearned run.
Tate Ostrowski and
Liam Dabagian both had solid performances out of the bullpen while
Ben Sieracki earned the win with his final 1.1 innings of work.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Nolan Straniero followed his last Friday night start strong with a clean first inning, sitting down Monmouth in order.
- Elon put together two hits in the bottom of the first but could not find any runs to create a lead.
- The Phoenix put the first run on the board in the bottom of the second thanks to a Will Vergantino solo blast to give Elon an early 1-0 lead.
- Straniero put another quiet inning together in the third to keep the Hawks off the scoreboard.
- Elon added another run in the bottom of the third with Connor Offshack adding to the tally. Offshack put a two-out double off the wall in left field to score Kenny Mallory Jr. from second but couldn't bring home Shane Paradine from first as Paradine as thrown out trying to score.
- Straniero surrendered his only run of the game which was unearned in the fifth when Monmouth scored with some heads-up base running to halve the Elon lead.
- In the seventh, the Phoenix added an insurance run when Mallory Jr. placed a double near the left field line to increase the Elon lead.
- Monmouth answered with two runs of their own to tie the score going into the bottom of the eighth.
- Vergantino would shine again with two outs when he found a patch of open outfield grass and race to second base, bringing home two runs in the process.
- Ben Sieracki closed the door in the ninth inning and made the final out himself to leave the bases loaded and secure a 5-3 Elon win.
NOTES AND STATS
- Nolan Straniero made his sixth start for the Phoenix. Straniero made his best start in the maroon & gold, pitching five innings and allowing just one hit and one unearned run. The Phoenix have now won three straight games when Straniero starts.
- Tate Ostrowski made his second consecutive perfect appearance. Ostrowski struck out one of the three batters he faced.
- Liam Dabagian got out of a seventh inning jam, serving up a clean inning of relief.
- Ben Sieracki earned his second win of the season. Sieracki took over in the eighth inning and ended up striking out three batters in his victory.
- Kenny Mallory Jr. put together his 17th multi-hit game and the sixth game putting together three or more hits.
- Will Vergantino had a three RBI performance against the Hawks Friday night. This was Vergantino's sixth multi-RBI game of the season.
- Alex Duffey extended his hitting streak to five games, the teams current longest streak.
- Connor Offshack drove in his 29th run of the season with his ninth double. Offshack now has 15 extra-base hits this season.
- The Phoenix pitching staff put together their eighth game striking out more than 10 batters. Elon is 5-3 when the pitching staff puts up 10 or more punchouts.
- Elon has now won four straight CAA games for the third time in two seasons. The 2023 Phoenix did it twice.
- As a team, Elon hit .385 (5-for-13) against Monmouth Friday with two outs.
- Elon leads the all-time series with Monmouth, 4-0.
UP NEXT
- The Phoenix will return to Latham Park tomorrow night for another matchup with Monmouth. First pitch against the Hawks is at 6 pm.
