ELON, N.C. – A trio of home runs powered Elon past James Madison in a Colonial Athletic Association baseball tilt at Latham Park on Saturday afternoon.
The Dukes dropped their fourth straight game to fall to 16-9 overall and 2-3 in CAA play. The Phoenix moved to 14-13 on the year and 4-1 in the league.
Elon jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning on a three-run home run by James Venuto after Ryne Ogren and Kyle Jackson had walked.
JMU rallied with two runs in the seventh inning to cut the lead to 3-2. Redshirt junior catcher
Zach Tondi hit his seventh home run of the season, a solo shot, over the right field fence to put the Dukes on the board. After junior center fielder
Mike Sciorra doubled down the left field line, senior left fielder
Ky Parrott scored him from second on a single to center field.
The Phoenix extended their lead to 7-2 in the bottom of the seventh with a Jackson grand slam, then to 9-2 in the eighth with a two-run homer by Hayden Platt.
Junior left-handed pitcher
Colton Harlow (1-2) threw six innings, allowing three runs on four hits and three walks, but striking out four batters in his second loss of the year. Jordan Barrett (2-2) earned the win for Elon with six and two thirds innings of work and one run allowed. Danny Crowe picked up the save for the Phoenix.
QUOTING COACH IKENBERRY
"I was proud of the way our guys competed, getting the tying run to second base in the seventh inning. In a 3-2 game, going to our bullpen was the right call even though
Colton Harlow pitched really well. Unfortunately, for the first time this season our bullpen got hit. Tip your cap to their guys for expanding the lead. It just seemed like today nothing went our way, but we'll get back after it tomorrow."
UP NEXT
JMU closes the series with Elon on Sunday, April 2 at Latham Park with first pitch set for 1:30 p.m.