ELON, N.C. – The Towson University baseball team faced Elon in the first two games of a three-game series vs. the Phoenix on Saturday afternoon at Latham Park in North Carolina.
 
Elon (12-21, 4-6 CAA) scored early, posting three in the first and one in the second to take an early four-run lead. The Phoenix added four runs in the sixth, one in the seventh and one in the eight to win 10-0 over the Tigers (12-22, 4-6 CAA) in seven innings.
 
Key Stats in Game One

• Towson starter Andrew Luczak (2-2) took the loss, allowing four earned runs on seven hits and two walks in 4.0 innings pitched. Luczak struck out four.
• Elon starter Justin Mitrovich (4-2) earned the win, tossing 8.0 scoreless innings with three hits and one walk allowed. Mitrovich struck out seven.

 
How it Happened in Game One

• Elon took the lead early, scoring three runs on five hits in the bottom of the first.
• The Phoenix added another run in the second to extend the lead.
• Elon starter Justin Mitrovich held the Tigers without a hit through the first three innings.
• The Phoenix added four runs on three hits in the home half of the sixth, extended their lead to 8-0.
• Mallory Jr.'s single through the right side in the bottom of the seventh pushed the Elon lead to nine.
• A lead off home run for Alford in the bottom of the eighth extended the Phoenix lead to 10, sending the game to a 10-0 final in favor of Elon.

 
After a scoreless first, the Tigers (13-22, 5-6 CAA) scored runs in the final six innings, including 11 in the seventh innings, to win 23-5 over Elon (12-22, 4-7 CAA) in game two of Saturday's doubleheader.
 
Key Stats in Game Two

• Towson reliever Matt Lynch (2-0) earned the win, allowing two earned runs on three hits and three walks in 3.1 innings pitched. Lynch struck out three.
• Elon starter Nolan Straniero (2-1) took the loss, allowing five earned runs on seven hits and three walks in 3.1 innings pitched. Straniero struck out two.

 
How it Happened in Game Two

• Elon scored first in the second game, bringing home a run on Duffey's single up the middle in the bottom of the first.
• The Tigers scored two in the next frame, scoring one on a double play groundout and another on Casey Bishop's RBI single to center field.
• Nich Francuzenko extended the lead in the top of the third, hitting a leadoff home run. Taye Robinson scored Max D'Alessandro later in the frame on a sacrifice fly to right.
• Bishop picked up his second RBI of the game in the top of the fourth on a double to left field.
• The Phoenix got two runs back in the home half, scoring one on a fielding error and another on a bases-loaded walk later in the frame.
• Brady Nathison highlighted the Tigers' offensive frame in the fifth, hitting a three-run home run after Robinson's RBI single to make it a 9-3 Towson lead.
• Back-to-back hits with runners on scored two more for Elon, cutting their deficit to four.
• The Tigers added three more runs in the top of the sixth, scoring the first on D'Alessandro's double down the left field line. A wild pitch and throwing error from the catcher scored the two others.
• Towson added eleven runs on seven hits in the top of the seventh inning. After a wild pitch scored one, D'Alessandro's RBI single to left push the TU run total to 15. Robinson's fielder's choice and Nathison's two-run single make it an 18-5 game. Cole Stefano's double to left field added another run before Josh Janove dropped a base hit down the left field line to clear the bases, making it 22-5. The final run of the frame came on Brian Heckelman's RBI single to right field to take a 23-5 lead.
• Lynch retired the final three batters in the bottom of the seventh for a 23-5 win for the Tigers in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader.

 
Inside the Numbers in Game Two

• Heckelman recorded his first-ever four hit game at the collegiate level.
• Nathison batted in five runs in the game, marking his second multi-RBI game in six appearances.
• Seven of the nine Towson starters in the batting order recorded multiple hits in the game. Eight of nine recorded at least one hit.

 
On Deck:
The Tigers and Phoenix finish the series tomorrow with game three at 1 p.m.