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Cloudy early, then thunderstorms developing this afternoon. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. High 78F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%..
Tonight
A steady rain this evening. Showers continuing overnight. Low 57F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.
Elon’s Cole Reynolds, left, greets teammate Nick Cicci during the Phoenix’s victory against William & Mary to open the CAA baseball tournament on Wednesday.
WILMINGTON — Elon’s baseball season ended with a 6-2 loss to College of Charleston on Friday in a Colonial Athletic Association Tournament elimination game, with home runs from Harrison Hawkins and Landon Choboy lifting the Cougars.
It marked the second victory of the day for fourth-seeded College of Charleston (27-24), which defeated William & Mary to stay alive in the double-elimination event at Brooks Field. Elon (22-22), the third seed, was facing elimination after losing to tournament host UNC Wilmington the night before.
Hawkins belted his team-leading 11th homer of the season in the bottom of the sixth inning during Friday’s game, a two-run shot to break a 1-1 tie. Hits from Tanner Steffy and Ari Sechopoulos followed, before Choboy launched his three-run blast to put College of Charleston ahead 6-1.
Elon’s Cole Reynolds, left, greets teammate Nick Cicci during the Phoenix’s victory against William & Mary to open the CAA baseball tournament on Wednesday.
Times-News
[Photo courtesy of the CAA]
Ty Good (7-5) picked up the pitching victory out of the Cougars’ bullpen. He entered in the fourth inning, and allowed one run and five hits across the final six innings while striking out three.
Elon got a promising effort from pitcher Jared Wetherbee. The lefty turned in his longest start since Feb. 27, holding College of Charleston to one run during Friday’s first five innings.
“Tough way to go out,” Elon coach Mike Kennedy said. “Great outing by Jared Wetherbee, just couldn’t put together timely hitting with guys on base. Played some really good baseball down the stretch, so obviously disappointed in how the tournament played out.”
Cole Reynolds supplied three hits for Elon, including a double, and teammate Alex Iadisernia doubled among his two hits. Anthony Galason’s two-out single drove in Iadisernia to tie the game at 1-1 in the top of the third inning.
Later, the Phoenix, trailing 6-2, had the bases loaded with one out in eighth inning. But Good struck out Elon’s Justin Cassella and pinch hitter J.P. Sponseller lined out to Sechopoulos at first base to end the threat.
College of Charleston moved on to meet top-seeded Northeastern (33-10) in a Saturday elimination game, with UNCW waiting for the winner in the championship round. The second-seeded Seahawks (32-20) reached the title-clinching stage of the CAA baseball tournament for the sixth year in row.
THURSDAY NIGHT’S GAME
UNCW turned back Elon to collect a 2-0 victory in the tournament, as Landen Roupp, the CAA Pitcher of the Year, outdueled Elon’s Joe Savino.
The junior Roupp delivered a three-hit shutout, firing a complete game underscored by 12 strikeouts. Meanwhile, the freshman Savino (0-3) scattered five hits and two runs while pitching into the eighth inning and registering eight strikeouts.
Roupp (8-4) retired the first 12 Elon batters he faced, surrendered just three singles, and struck out multiple batters in five different innings. The complete game shutout marked his second of the season and only the second by a UNCW pitcher in CAA Tournament history.
Dillon Lifrieri’s run-scoring grounder in the bottom of the fourth inning put the Seahawks ahead to stay. They tacked on another run in the eighth inning without the benefit of a hit. Brooks Baldwin reached on an error, advanced to third base following a sacrifice bunt and groundout, and scored on a wild pitch.
Elon’s best chance came in the top of the sixth inning, trailing 1-0. Cassella walked with two outs, stole second base, and advanced to third on a throwing error. Roupp responded with a strikeout to end the threat.
