Elon University softball mercy rules North Carolina A&T twice

Sophomore left fielder Chloe Hatzopoulos noticed 4 pitches throughout the Elon College softball workforce’s first sport of its Friday doubleheader in opposition to North Carolina A&T College. She hit three of them over the fence for dwelling runs.

Getting into Friday, Hatzopoulos had only one hit in her final 9 at-bats. She mentioned her objective in opposition to the Aggies was to assault first pitches. Assault is strictly what she did, as two of her three dwelling runs in Elon’s 9-0 mercy-rule win got here on the primary pitch. 

“I used to be actually seeing the ball nicely,” Hatzopoulos mentioned. “I used to be pondering to assault on the primary pitch. Just lately, I’ve been letting some good ones go by, so I used to be simply able to hit the ball right this moment and assault.” 

Hatzopoulos scored Elon’s first run of the day within the third inning with a solo dwelling run to left discipline on the primary pitch she noticed. She adopted it up within the prime of the fourth with a two-run blast to left-center on the second pitch that scored two runs and put the Phoenix forward 5-0. 

With two dwelling runs on the day already, Hatzopoulos stepped as much as the plate within the prime of the sixth with the bases loaded. The sophomore caught to her gameplan and attacked the primary pitch, which she mentioned was larger up within the zone than the opposite two pitches she hit out.

Because the ball flew by way of down the left discipline line and towards the outfield fence, Hatzopoulos mentioned she was uncertain if it might perform of the park. She additionally didn’t understand when she got here to the plate that she had an opportunity to hit a grand slam. 

“I didn’t even understand the bases have been loaded,” Hatzopoulos mentioned. “I simply tried to remain calm and do my factor.” 

With the grand slam, Hatzopoulos grew to become the primary Elon participant to hit three dwelling runs in the identical sport since Megan White did so in opposition to Drexel College on April 20, 2019, 171 video games in the past. Her grand slam put the Phoenix up 9-0 and set the workforce up for the mercy-rule win. 

“There’s not a lot you possibly can say, she had an awesome day,” head coach Kathy Bocock mentioned. “I believe it helps together with her confidence and with our complete workforce’s confidence.” 

Seven of Elon’s RBIs in sport one got here off the bat of Hatzopoulos, whose 9 dwelling runs this season are essentially the most on the workforce. Sophomore pitcher McKenna McCard logged 5 shutout innings within the circle for the Phoenix earlier than fellow sophomore Isley Duggins secured the ultimate three outs of the win. 

Whereas successful the primary leg of doubleheaders has not been an issue for Elon this season, the Phoenix has struggled in sport twos. Elon had misplaced three of its final 4 coming into Friday.

The Phoenix rapidly put its game-two woes to relaxation, plating 5 runs within the first inning and going during the batting lineup within the opening body to drag away from the Aggies early. Elon went on to earn one other mercy-rule win, ending off North Carolina A&T in 5 innings with a 12-4 ultimate rating. 

“The second sport has been a curse for us,” Bocock mentioned. “We have been attempting to determine a approach to verify we got here able to play the second sport and I believe the women did an awesome job.”

Hatzopoulos tacked on two extra RBIs within the opening inning surge off a single that narrowly made it previous the third baseman’s glove. She mentioned leaping out to such a robust begin within the second sport was necessary given their current struggles in sport twos. 

“Bringing that power from sport one was essential to this win,” Hatzopoulos mentioned. “Recreation twos haven’t been stepping into our favor. I believe that first inning actually helped us get going.” 

After a pair of scoreless innings, Elon’s offense exploded once more within the fourth and fifth innings, because the Phoenix scored seven runs to take a commanding lead. Six totally different Elon gamers drove in runs and 9 totally different gamers mixed for 14 hits. 

McCard began once more for the Phoenix and threw three innings, as she completed the day permitting only one run in eight frames. Junior Meredith Wells tossed the ultimate two innings for Elon. 

Elon has relied closely on McCard in Colonial Athletic Affiliation play, because the sophomore has began 5 of the workforce’s final seven contests. McCard was credited with each wins on Friday as she now has a team-best 9 on the season and her 2.38 ERA is the perfect on the workforce. 

With the 2 victories, Elon clinched a top-four seed at subsequent week’s CAA Match, that means the Phoenix is not going to need to play on the opening day of the occasion. 

“That’s large,” Hatzopoulos mentioned. “It offers us a day to relaxation and prepare to provide our all on the match.”

This was the primary time Elon has earned two mercy-rule victories on the identical day because the Phoenix defeated Drexel College in a pair of five-inning video games in April 2018. 

Elon will face North Carolina A&T once more Saturday to shut out its common season. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.