MEMPHIS - With Hendrix defeating Millsaps earlier in the day, the Rhodes College baseball team clinched the No. 3 seed at next week's SAA Baseball Championship as they earned the three-game sweep over the Stormy Petrels, 9-1, on Senior Day.
Since the Warriors were victorious, they clinched the No. 2 seed and will host No. 6 Oglethorpe and No. 7 Centre in Conway next weekend. TIme are expected to be announced early this week.
Knowing what was at stake, the Lynx jumped all over the Stormy Petrels, scoring three runs in the first thanks to a RBI singles from sophomore
Levi Greenberg and junior
Ryan Olive while senior
Nathan Foshee added a RBI walk to make it 3-0. The Lynx would make it 4-0 in the third on a sacrifice fly from Olive.
Senior
Adam Putnam took the mound for Rhodes and was brilliant on the mound, completely shutting down the Oglethorpe offense as he put on his best showing of the 2016 season.
In the seventh inning, Rhodes broke the game wide open as they added three more runs in the third thanks in part to a RBI single from junior
Bennett Notestine while junior
Bill Munson drove in a pair of run on a two RBI double in the eighth to make it 9-0.
Oglethorpe finally got on the board in the ninth, but it was not enough as the Lynx earned the sweep.
Putnam pitched 8.2 innings, allowing one run on three hits and striking out eight on the day. He started the day with five strikeouts in the first three innings and only had one walk on the day.
Offensively, Munson finished 2-for-5 with a double and a pair of RBIs while Olive was 1-for-2 with two RBIs. Greenberg drove in a run and scored twice while Foshee finished 2-for-3 with a RBI and a run scored. Senior
Daniel Morris finished 1-for-1 with an exciting pinch hit single late in the game.
On the day, Rhodes also honored 10 seniors who amassed two regional appearance, the highest national ranking in Rhodes history (#6), a first ever conference title, and a win total of 109 in their four years.
The Lynx are now 22-18 on the season and finish the year 12-9 in the SAA. Rhodes will look to continue its great play against Oglethorpe as they will battle again on Friday for the fourth straight time.
