ELON, N.C. – The Elon University softball team withheld a Hofstra rally to open CAA play with a 9-5 win over the Pride on Friday evening, March 8, at Hunt Softball Park.
 
Elon improves to 8-11 on the season with a 1-0 mark in the league opener between both teams. Hofstra falls to 1-14 and 0-1 in the CAA. This is the third straight season that the Phoenix has started league play at 1-0.
 
At the Plate
• The Phoenix had 10 hits in the game, its fifth double-digit hit game of the season. Greta Hessenthaler went 3-of-4 at the dish, extending her reached base streak to 18 games. Gabi Schaal was 2-of-4 with a pair of RBI, two runs scored and a triple to her stat line. Mary Moss Wirt also drove in a pair of RBI, tying her career-high.
 
In the Circle
• McKenna McCard took the win in the circle for the Phoenix, improving to 3-2 on the season. The senior pitched 4.1 frames and allowed three earned runs with four strikeouts.
• Taylor Cherry pitched 1.2 scoreless innings in relief, recording her first save of the season. The redshirt junior also stuck out a pair of batters and did not allow a hit.
 
The Rundown
• The Pride took the early lead in the top of the first. Hofstra got a leadoff triple before scoring off a one-out double to center to go in front 1-0.
• Elon plated three runs in its home half of the first. Hessenthaler opened with a single then advanced to second off a fielder's choice with Allee Seering reaching on the play. The pair advanced to scoring position after a grounder before Schaal tied the game on an RBI single to left. Another ground out enabled the Phoenix to take the lead off of Kayla Wilson's at bat. Chloe Hatzopoulos reached on a hit-by-pitch and was able to distract the defense enough for Schaal to score before Hatzopoulos was tagged out on a rundown between first and second.
• The Phoenix scored two more runs in the bottom of the second. Lani Wyrick drew a hit-by-pitch to start the frame and stole second to move into scoring position. She scored off a double down the left field line from Wirt for the Phoenix's fourth run of the game. Wirt eventually scored herself on a two-out single to right by Seering to give Elon a 5-1 lead.
• Elon put up another two spot in the bottom of the third. Wilson earned a free pass to lead off the inning and moved to second off a passed ball. Hatzopoulos scored her on a double to right to put Elon up 6-1 before moving to third on a sac bunt. Wirt added her second RBI of the game on a ground out to short as Hatzopoulos scored to put the Phoenix ahead 7-1.
• Hofstra started to mount a comeback in the top half of the fifth. The Pride scored three runs in the frame, cutting into Elon's lead as the Phoenix took a 7-4 advantage to the bottom of the fifth. After a scoreless inning for the Elon offense in the bottom of the fifth, the Pride tacked on another run in its half of the sixth to make it a two-run game, 7-5.
• The Phoenix finally answered offensively in the bottom of the sixth. Hessenthaler reached on a leadoff single to give Elon a runner on base. Hofstra however induced the next two outs putting Hessenthaler in danger of being stranded. A clutch hit by Schaal, a triple to center, scored pinch runner Payton Swart with Schaal also being able to score from third off an errant throw to give Elon some insurance runs.
• Hofstra continued to battle in the top of the seventh, as two batters reached with two outs on walks. Cherry would end any thoughts of another rally as she set down the final batter for the 9-5 win.
 
On Deck
Elon begins CAA play this weekend, March 7-9, with a three-game set versus Hofstra at Hunt Softball Park. Each game of the series will stream on FloCollege (FloSoftball).