WKU President's List (Spring 2017)
WKU Dean's List (Spring 2016, Fall 2016)
2017 (RS Senior): Despite making only one start, Elder qualified for the team earned run average lead with a 4.07 mark in 55.1 innings pitched during WKU's 55-game season ... Also led the team with a 1.39 WHIP ... Out of his 20 total appearances, 13 were two-plus innings, including a career-high seven in relief vs. Florida Atlantic on May 13 ... Started the season with 6.1 scoreless innings across two appearances vs. Valparaiso and Jacksonville State in the first two weekends ... Struck out a season-high six batters vs. Illinois State on March 10, earning a three-inning save in a 13-6 Hilltopper win ... Ranked second on the club with two saves, trailing Jackson Sowell's four, also notching a four-out save March 26 at Middle Tennessee ... Was the first reliever in 14-of-19 appearances out of the bullpen ... Overall, faced 25 inherited runners and stranded 18 of them ... Ranked second among WKU pitchers with three victories, trailing Ryan Thurston's four, earning wins vs. Valparaiso (Feb. 18), UAB (March 18) and Murray State (April 4).
2016 (RS Junior): Elder continued his role as one of WKU’s most important pieces out of the bullpen in 2016, earning five saves in 21 relief appearances with a 4.35 ERA in 41.1 innings pitched ... If you take out a rough outing at Old Dominion, his ERA drops to 3.10 for the year with a .211 opposing batting average ... Elder was able to flash some streaks of dominance on the mound, including the sweep at home against UTSA where he was involved in every pitching decision on the weekend ... He closed out the first two contests with 3.1 innings without giving up an earned run to pick up two saves before tossing 4.1 shutout innings on Sunday and only allowing one hit to earn the win ... In the series-clinching win at UAB, he struck out a career-high eight batters in the final three innings to claim a win ... Elder also secured saves in wins over Youngstown State, Cincinnati and Middle Tennessee, while his other victories came at Georgia and at home against FIU as he finished with a 4-4 record.
2015 (RS Sophomore): Elder was the most valuable piece of WKU’s pitching staff during his first season on The Hill, leading all pitchers (at least 10 app.) with a 1.87 ERA in 23 appearances spanning 43.1 innings ... Whether it was long relief, a short relief stint or a save situation, Elder was WKU’s go-to bullpen arm ... He ranked third on the staff with 41 strikeouts and held opposing batters to a .211 batting average, which led all WKU hurlers with at least 10 appearances ... Elder also led the pitching staff with a 1.15 WHIP ... He held the opposition scoreless in 16 of his 23 appearances and finished 2015 with a 1-1 record to go along with two saves ... Elder picked up the first win of his career at Louisiana Tech with 3.1 innings of scoreless relief in Ruston and followed that outing up with 3.2 innings of hitless, scoreless work against Southern Miss to earn the long save and preserve WKU’s shutout of the Golden Eagles ... He only allowed nine earned runs and 32 hits all seasons and was particularly effective against right-handed batters, holding them to a .194 batting average ... Elder was also WKU’s leader in batting average of balls put in play at .261.
At Iowa Western CC: Elder was one of Iowa Western’s most called upon bullpen arms as a freshman in 2014, ranking second on the team with 16 appearances ... He worked 25.2 innings, primarily in relief, for the 2014 NJCAA National Champions while striking out 39 batters and picking up two saves ... Elder started one game in 2014 and shined on the biggest stage, striking out 10 batters and surrendering one run over six innings in the NJCAA World Series semifinal game to propel the Reivers to the National Championship Game ... He finished his lone season at Iowa Western with a 1-1 record and a 3.16 ERA.
