Swim swinging the Phoenix into a sweep over Samford and new haircuts for the team

Pregame buffoonery at the ‘Lath

Who’s on first? Swim’s on first. We said that question and answer so much this weekend that it was for all intents and purposes redundant. But when you’re in the midst of a 22-game hitting streak and you are 12-for-19 during the weekend and the recipient of both the SoCon Player of the Week and National Hitter of the Week, you give your teammates a lot of opportunities to identify your seemingly ever-presence on the bases. Led by Swim’s ludicrous offensive performance, we swept the Samford Bulldogs. However, this weekend’s sweep marks the lengthiest and most unusually scheduled series of my college career. We showed up to the field around 10 a.m. Saturday for the double dipper against the Bulldogs with a good night’s sleep and McDonald’s McGriddles in our stomachs. The first game was riddled with an 8-inning pitching performance by our ace Dylan, another three- run homer by Garrett, and a 5-for-5 offensive

Swim hit .591 over the past week and got National Hitter of the Week

performance by Swim en route to a 7-4 win. After a quick 30-minute break, we started the second game — little did we know what the second game had in store. Every time you are about to play a double header in college baseball you have to be mentally and physically prepared for the 18-inning affair. Whether that preparation is Gomi’s blasting of dubstep from the last row of the bus, or myself eating another pack of fig newtons, you’ve got to be ready for the extra demands of focus. We were in the final stretch of the second game when I experienced something unprecedented. The game was tied 1-1 in the top of the seventh inning with Brez on third and one out when I was walking to the plate. Before I stepped in to hit, there was a lightning bolt as seen on National Geographic over my right shoulder and a Thor-like thunder immediately following. The umpire suspended the game until Sunday — I have never thought of a single at-bat more leading up to its realization.

That night Coach Kennedy let us go to dinner on our own before most of us watched the Ohio State vs. Kansas Final Four basketball game in our hotel rooms. Team disclaimer — Fish was studying. We woke up bright and early Sunday morning, checked out of the hotels and headed to iHop before playing what-we-thought-would-be three more innings of the second game and then the final game of the series. After finally getting to have that at-bat that I waited for for nearly 11 hours and 30 minutes, but who was counting anyway, we went into a 18-inning showdown with Samford. Before I came to Elon, I would’ve never thought that I would have played in as many extra-inning games as I have. Combining last year’s conference tournament game against Western (20 innings), last year’s series clinching game against USF (17 innings) and this 18-inning matchup, I have played 55 innings! Or, one inning short of 8 high school games!

Fish and Elefante standoff after the National Anthem

We ended up winning 5-3 after Quinn hit the game-winning single to score Serra in the 18th. Garrett and I were talking after the game and we both agreed that we had never played in a game that was filled with as many key plays as that game. Some plays include Quinn’s diving play to keep the game knotted in the later innings, Serra hosing down the would-have-been game-winning run at the plate in the middle teen innings, Webb pitching six scoreless innings, a go-ahead RBI triple in the seventh inning and then of course Swim’s second consecutive 5-hit performance. I’ll be telling people about that game for years. After the second game we had clinched the series but still had another game to play before taking the 9-hour trek back to Elon. We started the final game around 4:00 Central Time with all the momentum in the world. As a staple to college baseball, competitive nature was high and so squabbles were present. These quarrels between us and other players gave us any more motivation we needed to focus in on the details of the game to ensure a series sweep. We hit three triples in the game to leg out a win a 7-5 win. Doogie got the win and Nelli got the first save of his career. As a par to course, Doogie was “cold as ice” and Nelli was “fresh out of MIA (or the bullpen)” — a reference to both of their telling walkout songs.

Nelli got his first save in the third game of the series against Samford

With a series sweep tucked in our back pocket we hit the showers and the pitchers got one last “two-ball” game in at their field before we emptied Jason’s Deli of all its salad bar and ice cream machine on our way home. We got in to Elon at 6:30 a.m. — just in time to take a shower, shine our shoes, and head to our 8 a.m. classes. But, as posts aforementioned tell, “Monday is the safe haven” and we all made up for the long weekend with hibernation naps throughout the day.

Today at practice we got confirming news that the Phoenix will take part in a BaseBald event after our upcoming series against UNCG on April 29. Yes, this means that the glorious manes of Grant, Swim, Bankhead, McVicar and the like could be shaved down to a cue ball look if donations reach the mark. If you are interested in helping research for finding a cure for kids with cancer, click here and donate to see your favorite Phoenix with a new haircut and an opportunity to help needy kids through the St. Baldrick’s foundation.

The Phoenix are looking to #DefendTheRing this Easter weekend against Furman after we have a rematch against in-state foe UNC Chapel Hill tomorrow at 6 p.m.

Last look at Samford before we hit the road. Take a look at the “Two-ball” in the left.