The Pendulum - Softball's win secures second spot in SoCon
http://www.elon.edu/pendulum/Story.aspx?id=3585
Softball's win secures second spot in
SoCon
by Pam Richter, March 30, 2010
Sophomore pitcher Erin O'Shea dug her cleat into the rubber as she struck out College of Charleston's outfielder
Amanda Lonergan looking to get out of a jam in the fifth inning. The Phoenix went on to win Sunday's game 5-4
and took two games out of three in the weekend series against College of Charleston . Elon will travel to N orth
Carolina A&T University at 2:30 p.m. today in a doubleheader.
With the win on Sunday, the Phoenix earned its seventh Southern Conference victory of the season, which
surpassed last season's total as the team went 6-15 in conference. The Phoenix is 20-7 overall and 7-2 in the
SoCon this season.
"We're a mentally tough team," head coach Patti Raduenz said. "They believe in each other. That's the big
difference in where we were from a year ago to now."
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After the Phoenix's first inning in Sunday's game, the Phoenix had a 2-0 lead after O'Shea doubled scored with
two runners. The Phoenix added two more runs in the second inning.
O'Shea said it was helpful to pitch with an early lead, but tries not to worry about it that much, telling herself that
it is a 0-0 game.
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The Cougars responded in the fifth, scoring a run in each inning and chipping into the Phoenix's lead.
The Phoenix ultimately haulted the Cougars' comeback in the seventh. Elon freshman pitcher Kari Pervell entered
the game and got the final batter to ground out.
"It was definitely a team win and we battled the whole game," O'Shea said. "Defense was there when pitching
wasn't."
Both Raduenz and O'Shea said winning two out of three against College of Charleston was important for the
team.
"Each conference weekend we play three games," Raduenz said. "We look at each game as a battle but we
want to win the war."
The Phoenix is currently in second place in the SoCon behind University of Tennessee Chattanooga. The Mocs
stand at 6-0 in the conference and 22-8 overall. The Phoenix will face the Mocs beginning April 17.
Now, at the midpoint in the season, Raduenz said one of the challenges the team faces is to keep up the same
excitement that it started within the beginning of the season.
"This is the time of year when you find the character of your team, Raduenz said.
Since N.C. A&T is not in the SoCon, these two games will give the Phoenix the opportunity to work on some
4/7/2010 1:36 PM