By Bob Sutton
Special to The Alamance News
Southern Alamance graduate Greta Hessenthaler added to her string of offensive success and Elon teammate Gabi Schaal smacked a game-winning two-run home run in the bottom of the seventh inning as the Phoenix defeated visiting East Carolina 8-7 in non-conference college softball Tuesday at Hunt Softball Park.
Hessenthaler went 2-for-4 to boost her team-leading batting average to .396. She has a streak of 27 consecutive games of reaching base.
Elon (16-12) bounced back from a 7-1 deficit. Hessenthaler, a second baseman, had a two-run single in a five-run fourth inning.
It was a tough homecoming for Western Alamance alum Taylor Apple, who was the starting pitcher for East Carolina (18-13). She worked the first two innings, then returned to pitch in the seventh. Apple’s record dropped to 7-6.
In the Colonial Athletic Association, Elon’s 8-1 record is its best mark through nine conference games since the program’s fastpitch era began in 1990. The Phoenix swept home series against Hofstra and Monmouth and won two of three games at Hampton.
The Phoenix goes to Delaware for three games before its next home game April 4 vs. College of Charleston.
Baseball
There was no upset this time for Elon, which lost 10-0 to visiting Wake Forest on Tuesday night at Latham Park.
Elon (9-15) managed two hits in the game reduced to seven innings by the mercy rule. Wake Forest (20-6) scored in six consecutive innings. Marek Houston hit a home run and Chris Levonas pitched four innings with five strikeouts.
The Phoenix won 2023 and 2024 home games against Wake Forest.
Elon opened CAA play by losing two of three games at College of Charleston through the weekend. A 12-2, seven-inning loss and an 11-6 setback were sandwiched around Saturday’s 14-13 victory on Alex Duffy’s ninth-inning, tiebreaking single. Duffy, Ryan Sprock and Troy McGirt all homered in the triumph.
Elon welcomes Delaware to Latham Park for a three-game CAA series Friday night through Sunday.
Men’s basketball
Elon’s season ended with a first-round loss in the College Basketball Invitational at Daytona Beach, Florida.
Sunday’s 83-78 setback to Army came after the Phoenix led by 21 points in the second half. Elon finished with a 17-16 record.
Senior forward Sam Sherry ended his career with a 23-point, 14-rebound outing. Sophomore Isaac Harrell notched a career-high 20 points and Andrew King had 18 points.
Elon played without guards T.K. Simpkins (16.4 points per game) and T.J. Simpkins (14.6 points). They reportedly entered the transfer portal, which opened Monday.
Army (17-16) lost in the quarterfinals by 68-65 to Florida Gulf Coast on Monday.
