By Bob Sutton
Special to The Alamance News
Elon’s softball team won the Coastal Athletic Association Tournament for the first time by winning twice against host Campbell on Saturday in Buies Creek.
The Phoenix (33-19) will be in the NCAA Tournament for the second time in the program’s Division I history. The other time came after winning the 2010 Southern Conference Tournament.
Elon will meet No. 8 overall seed South Carolina (40-15) in Columbia, South Carolina, at 5:30 p.m. Friday. The three-day, double-elimination bracket also includes Virginia and North Florida.
Senior outfielder Kaitlyn Wells of Elon was named the CAA Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.
Regulars in Elon’s lineup include: second baseman Greta Hessenthaler out of Southern Alamance; right fielder Reagan Hartley, an Eastern Alamance alum; and catcher Mary Moss Wirt from Efland (Orange graduate).
Second-seeded Elon won three consecutive games after losing 4-2 to fourth-seeded Campbell on Friday afternoon in the double-elimination tournament.
On Saturday, Elon needed to beat the Camels twice. That success began with a 5-0 triumph behind a three-hit combined shutout by Kaitlyn Wells, Taylor Cherry, and Meredith Wells.
In the second game, Kaitlyn Wells and Chloe Hatzopoulos belted a two-run homer in a 6-2 victory. Hessenthaler scored the first run after doubling to lead off the game.
Elon avoided elimination Friday night by topping top-seeded Delaware 3-2. It was the final game in the CAA for the Blue Hens (38-16), who join Conference USA this summer. Meredith Wells didn’t allow an earned run in five innings. Gabi Schaal drove in two runs, pushing her career total to a program-record 140 runs batted in.
Elon opened the tournament with Thursday’s 4-3 victory against third-seeded College of Charleston.
Elon’s Allee Seering, Meredith Wells and Hatzopoulos joined Kaitlyn Wells on the all-tournament team.
Campbell finished at 37-20.
South Carolina will be a host for a softball regional for the first time in the modern era. Other NCAA regionals include No. 14 seed Duke at home (with Georgia, Coastal Carolina, and Howard) and North Carolina going to Tennessee to face Ohio State (with Tennessee and Miami of Ohio in the other first-day matchup).
Baseball
Elon’s momentum was zapped Saturday when host Campbell swept a doubleheader by 11-6 and 6-0, halting a seven-game CAA winning streak for the Phoenix.
Elon (24-27, 13-11 CAA) concludes the regular season Thursday through Saturday in a three-game series at home vs. second-place UNC Wilmington. Campbell (22-28, 13-11) joins Elon, College of Charleston and William & Mary in a four-way tie for third place.
The top six teams qualify for the CAA Tournament.
In Buies Creek, Elon won Friday night’s opener 10-8 as freshman infielder Jake Hajdu drove in four runs from the No. 9 spot in the lineup. Ryan Sprock homered and pitched a perfect ninth inning in relief.
In Saturday’s opener, Elon scored five first-inning runs, but the Camels led 9-6 through four innings. The teams played a twinbill Saturday because of concerns related to Sunday’s forecast.
