Page 26 Thursday, April 7, 2005
SPORTS
The Pendulum
thanks
Lauren Sims
Reporter
It is a fact with any sport. The key to scoring that big
“W” at the end of the game is fundamentals. Whether it is
the passing of a basketball, the swing of a tennis racket or
the hitting of a softball, if these are all done correctly, a vic
tory becomes that much easier to obtain.
This is definitely true with the Elon softball team and the
k;^^ to their win earlier in the season against UNC-
Greensboro. “We hit the ball,” said head coach Patti
Raduenz. That is wh’at needed to be done this past weekend
when the team faced the Spartans of UNC Greensboro for
the second time this year.
“I’m just looking for them to come out and play as they
do every game,” Raduenz said. As she put it, they need to
come out with the “winning spirit,” and that they did.
With a doubleheader on Saturday and a third game on
Sunday, the Phoenix had an intense weekend ahead of them.
To add to their record of 17-16, 3-0 in conference play,
Elon defeated the Spartans on Saturday winning the first
gune 9-2 and the second 3-1. What coach could ask for
more of their team than to receive two victories in one day?
Well, for Raduenz it is not quite time to celebrate.
“There’s no time to celebrate until we get that “W,”
Raduenz said. “And even then we go to rest up and relax
and come back ready to play again on Sunday.”
Junior pitcher, Whitney Meeks, played a huge role in
sealing the first victory for the Phoenix^ by only giving up
two runs out of eight hits and striking out two batters.
Freshman Sadie Ball had a huge day with two homeruns.
Her second homerun put the Phoenix on the board during
the second game, as she hit Megan Borgaard arid Dani
Concepcion home, starting off the game 3-0.
A switch in pitchers did not seem to affect Elon’s victo
ry streak. Meredith Gay pitched the second game as she
struck out six batters and only gave up one hit.
“Once you step on the field and between those lines, it’s
all about business,” Raduenz said. With a successful day on
Saturday, it was obvious Elon was not there to fool around.
When 1 p.m. Sunday came about, Elon was back and
ready for game three. Except this time things did not go
their way.
The Spartans defeated the Phoenix 7-3, giving Elon their
first conference loss of the season.
Elon took the early lead 2-0, which the Spartans soon
tied 2-2. From then on, it was downhill for the Phoenix.
They stayed close with UNC Greensboro until the Spartans
broke away at the top of the sixth inning, giving with a 7-3
lead, which was the score that concluded the game.
“I expect to win every game,” Raduenz said. “The only
team that beats us is the other team.” Raduenz expects her
team to come out ready to play every game that way. If they
lose, it’s not because they beat themselves.
With a current record after this weekend of 19-17 5-1
in conference play, the softball team relies heavily on the
strength of the team as a whole.
“This team is built around everybody,” Raduenz said
“It has taken everybody to win every game.”
Contact Lauren Sims atpendulum@elon.edu or 278-7247
Brittanie Schroyer/ photographei'
Meredith Miley (above) awaits a throw as
Lyndsey Wilson slides safely into second bBse. ^
took two out of three from the Spartans in a wee
series. The Phoenix improved to 19-17 (5-1) on the se
son with five remaining conference series before
tournament.
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