FULTON, Mo. - After dropping a late lead in the first contest in a 7-4 defeat, the Rhodes College softball team scored 20 runs on 27 hits to force a split with the Westminster Blue Jays on Tuesday afternoon.

In the first contest, Rhodes jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning after freshman Kendall Henry slapped a double down the right field line to score junior Christine Hume.

The Blue Jays responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second, but the Lynx evened the score in the third as freshman Jill Healy singled and scored senior Erin Parker. The Lynx would take a 3-2 lead in the fifth on sacrifice fly by senior Rachel Pewitt.

However, Westminster would score five runs in the sixth inning to go ahead 7-3. Rhodes got a run back in the seventh off another sac fly from Pewitt, but it would not be enough as the Lynx stranded two runners in the final half inning.

Sophomore Allison long took the loss for the Lynx, pitching 5.1 innings and allowing four runs (two earned) on four hits to go with two strikeouts. Freshman Bri Maniscalco pitched 0.2 innings, allowing three runs on three hits.

Junior Christine Hume was 2-for-3 with two doubles and three runs scored while Henry was 2-for-4 with a double and a RBI. Pewitt finished 1-for-2 with two runs driven in while Healy went 1-for-2 with a pair of walks and a RBI.

Rhodes wasted little time gaining the lead in game two as Pewitt drove in the first run of the game in the first on single to right center, scoring sophomore Kirsten Samuels. 

The Lynx opened the game up in the second inning as Parker, Henry, sophomore Caroline Reilly, and Pewitt all drove in runs to give Rhodes a 6-0 lead. It would become 8-0 behind RBIs from Hume and Reilly in the third.

Westminster got their lone run in third, but Rhodes exploded for six runs in the fourth and fifth to put the game out of reach. Following a RBI single in the fourth from Parker, Hume drove in two on a RBI doubles followed by a three run bomb to center from Reilly to go ahead 14-1.

Sophomore Caroline Sutton doubled home a run in the fifth followed by a RBI triple from Parker, a RBI single from Hume, and a two RBI single from Reilly as Rhodes moved ahead 20-1.

Maniscalco cruised on to her ninth win of the season, pitching five complete and allowing only one unearned run on three hits. She struck out five in the game.

Reilly had a monster game, going 4-for-5 with a homerun, a double, and seven RBIs to go with two runs scored while Hume went 5-for-5 with a double, four RBIs, and four runs scored. Parker added a 3-for-4 day with a triple, four RBIs, and three runs scored while sophomore Maggie Mitchell was 3-for-3 with a double and a run scored.

Pewitt, Henry, Samuels,  and junior Aubrey Blackstock each had two hits with Pewitt driving in two and Blackstock scoring two runs. 

Rhodes snapped a four game skid and moves to 17-8 on the year. They finally return home this weekend for conference play as they welcome in the Millsaps Majors for a three game series. First pitch of Friday's doubleheader is set for 12 PM.