The Elon Phoenix secured a share of its fourth Southern Conference regular-season title, and third in four years, by rallying for four runs in the bottom of the eight for an 8-7 win over the visiting Furman Paladins on May 19. The win was the 11th for Elon in its final at bat this season.
Down 7-4, the Elon (35-19, 22-7 SoCon) rally in the bottom of the eighth began with Matt Kirchner lining a single into center before Niko Fraser doubled down the left field line to put two on for Harry Austin. Austin ripped the first pitch he saw up the middle for a single that scored both runners as the Phoenix made it a 7-6 game. Sebastian Gomez battled during an eight-pitch at bat and looped a single to right that put runners on the corners. Neal Pritchard knotted the game up a seven with a line drive single to left that drove Austin in with Elon’s seventh run of the night. After a double play sent Gomez to third, a wild pitch let the speedy infielder race home with the winning run.
The Phoenix threatened in the first as it loaded the bases with an Austin double and walks to both Gomez and Pritchard. Furman escaped unharmed, however, when Alex Swim grounded into a double play on a sharply hit ball to second.
The Paladins (23-30, 13-15) rode the momentum into the second as Reese Wade and Paul Nitto hit back-to-back homers to left. Will Muzika drove the next pitch to left and ended up at second as the ball went off the wall for a double. Will Miller’s single to left made it four straight hits and put Furman runners on the corners before Alex Abrams walked to fill the bags. Elon erased Muzika at the plate on a grounder to third, but the bases remained full for Will Owens who singled through the left side to plate Miller to make it a 3-0 game. After Abrams was caught too far off of third on a ball in the dirt, Rob Fondu struck out looking to end the inning.
With one out in bottom of the second, Grant McCoury drew a walk and then went to second on a Ben Scott single to left. A two-out single to center off the bat of Fraser drove home McCoury as the catcher dropped the throw.
Aaron Thompkins led off the top of the third with a single and moved to second on an errant throw on a pick-off attempt. After a ground out sent Thompkins to third, Nitto lined a single to left to drive home the fourth Paladin run.
Pritchard cut into the Furman lead by belting his seventh homer of the year over the wall in left-center with one away in the last of the third. The solo shot cut the Elon deficit to two runs at 4-2. Swim followed by ripping a double down the right field line before Garrett Koster drew a walk to put two aboard. After a two-out walk to Scott loaded the bases, Kirchner lined a 1-2 pitch into right to drive home both Swim and Koster as the Phoenix knotted the game at four. Fraser drew a five-pitch walk to reload the bases for Austin who flew out to right-center.
The game did not remain tied for long as Furman turnded Miller’s lead-off double in the fourth into a run as he moved to third on a fly out and scored on a J.B. Jenkins single to right. Back-to-back two-out walks then loaded the bases for Wade who lined a single to center to drive in two more to make it a 7-4 contest.
Furman loaded the bases with a bunt single from Owens, a fielder’s choice bunt by Rob Fondu and a walk. With two down, Nitto grounded to short to end the inning as the Phoenix kept its deficit at just three runs.
Jared Kernodle picked up his seventh victory of the season as the senior is now 7-1 on the year. He tossed 4.1 shutout innings in relief, scattering four hits. Mitch Conner gave up one hit in the ninth, but kept Furman off the board to secure his eighth save of the campaign.
Nate Smith (3-5) was charged with the loss after he surrendered two runs on three hits in one inning.
Kirchner’s 3-for-5, one-run, two-RBI performance marked a career-high in hits for the outfielder. Fraser (2-for-3, one run, one RBI), Austin (2-for-5, one run, two RBI) and Pritchard (2-for-4, one run, two RBI) all had multi-hit outings for the Phoenix.
Six Paladins recorded at least two hits. The charge was led by Wade (2-for-5, one run, three RBI), Nitto (2-for-5, one run, two RBI) and Jenkins (3-for-4, one run, one RBI). Miller went 2-for-5 and scored twice.
The two squads will face off again at 1:30 p.m. on Friday afternoon at Elon’s Latham Park in the rubber match of the series.