ELON, N.C. – Junior lefthander Spencer Medick and three relief pitchers combined to pitch a four-hitter as Elon University (21-17) edged the Tigers (17-18), 6-2, in the third and deciding game of their three-game weekend series at Barcroft Park.

Medick pitched the first six innings and allowed two unearned runs on four hits with one walk and one strikeout. Junior southpaw Andrew McDowell threw a scoreless seventh inning before junior righthander Jordan Darnell pitched a perfect eighth inning. Junior righthander Nate Young closed out the win with a scoreless ninth inning.

In the bottom of the second inning, Elon took a 2-0 lead against freshman righthander Nick Cioffi. Third baseman Tyler McVicar led off with a double to rightfield. Leftfielder Jake Luce reached on a bunt single to put runners on first and third. First baseman Casey Jones gave the Phoenix a 1-0 lead with a sacrifice fly. Designated hitter Blaine Bower grounded into a force play before Cioffi walked rightfielder Eric Serra. An RBI single by second baseman Quinn Bower scored Blaine Bower to give Elon a 2-0 advantage. Cioffi retired shortstop Sebastian Gomez on a fly ball, ending the inning.

In the fourth inning, the Tigers cut their deficit to 2-1 by scoring an unearned run. Freshman first baseman Brendan Butler led off the inning and reached base when he was hit by a pitch. Butler reached second base on a wild pitch and advanced to third base on a throwing error by catcher Alex Swim. Butler scored the Tigers' first run when freshman Peter Bowles hit a sacrifice fly.

In the bottom of the fifth, freshman righthander Paul Beers relieved Cioffi. With one out, McVicar singled to third base. When Beers issued back-to-back walks to Luce and Jones, Elon had the bases loaded. Blaine Bower singled to right, driving in a run. Elon upped its lead to 4-1 when Serra was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, driving in another run. A two-run double by Quinn Bower gave Elon a 6-1 advantage. Beers pitched out of the inning when he retired the next two hitters on fly balls.

In the sixth inning, the Tigers pulled to with 6-2 when sophomore second baseman Pat Fitzgerald reached base on an infield single and advanced to second base on a throwing error. He reached base when sophomore Dominic Fratantuono grounded out to first base. A sacrifice fly by Butler scored Fitzgerald.

After Elon took a 6-2 lead, sophomore righthander Chris Acker pitched 2.1 innings of scoreless relief.

However, the Tigers couldn't manage any hits against Elon's three relief pitchers.

Fitzgerald led the Tigers with two hits and scored a run. He batted .462 in the series against Elon.

Bowles, who hit .667 against Elon, went one-for-one with a walk and a sacrifice fly.

Quinn Bower led Elon with three hits and three runs batted in.

The Tigers return to Schuerholz Park on Tuesday when they open a five-game home stand with a non-conference game against Mount St. Mary's at 3:00 p.m.