Paladins Fall In SoCon Tourney Opener

GREENVILLE, S.C. – Elon’s Mike Melillo hit a two-out, grand slam in the bottom of the eighth inning to give No. 1 seed Elon its first lead of the game and a victory over the No. 8 seed Furman Paladins, 10-8, in game three of the 2009 Southern Conference Baseball Championship at Flour Field.

With the win the Phoenix (38-14), who have won five-straight SoCon Tournament contests, advance in the winner’s bracket where it will meet the winner of the Western Carolina-College of Charleston game Thursday at 9 p.m. Furman (22-30) drops into the loser’s bracket where they will meet the Catamounts-Cougars loser on Thursday at 1 p.m.

Despite trailing by four runs at two different points in the game, Elon rallied to load the bases in the eighth when Melillo came to the plate. The grand slam was Elon’s seventh of the season, which is a new SoCon single-season record.

Leading the way for the Phoenix was Melillo with five RBIs, catcher Dallas Tarleton with two RBIs and centerfielder Cory Harrilchak, who was 4-for-5 at the plate with three runs scored. In a losing effort, designated hitter Reese Wade went 3-for-5 with three RBIs. Second baseman Marcus Rose was 2-for-5 with two RBIs, while third baseman J.B. Jenkins went 3-for-4 with an RBI.

With the wind dying down as the evening wore on, the two teams combined for 30 hits and 18 runs in the contest.

Jared Kernodle (2-4) picked up the victory, while Furman‘s Nick Karrow (1-1) was saddled with the loss.

The Paladins jumped on the Phoenix early scoring two runs in the top of the first. Wade singled to right field with two outs, scoring both catcher Matt Hemmingway and first baseman Brian Harrison.

Elon closed the gap to one in the bottom of the second when Melillo doubled to right-center, scoring leftfielder Pat Irvine. The Phoenix missed out on another scoring opportunity when Melillo tried to score, but was gunned out at home by Furman centerfielder Campbell Lewis, after first baseman Ryan Adams hit a single.

Furman picked up a single run in the third when Wade picked up his third RBI of the day with a single through the left side, plating Harrison.

In the fourth, the Paladins added a trio of runs to push their lead to 6-1. Rose singled up the middle driving in Jenkins. Later in the inning, Harrison hit a sacrifice fly scoring left fielder Justin Holloway. Rose then scored on a throwing error.

Elon picked up a run in the bottom of the fourth when Tarleton hit the tournament’s first home run.

In the fifth, the Paladins made it 7-2, as Rose drove in Will Miller on a squeeze bunt.

Elon chipped into the lead in the fifth with a pair of runs. Right fielder Justin Hilt scored on a fielder’s error and Harrilchak scored on a sacrifice fly from SoCon Co-Player of the Year Chase Austin.

Jenkins singled to right field to bring in Wade in the top of the sixth to make the score, 8-4.

Elon scored two more runs to draw to within two in the bottom of the seventh. A Tarleton single drove in Harrilchak while Furman pitcher Stephen Gary walked in Irvine.