MONTGOMERY, Ala. - The Rhodes College baseball team opened up their 2017 campaign with a tough set back to the LaGrange Panthers on Friday afternoon, losing 7-6 at the Firehouse Classic on the campus of Huntingdon College.

The Lynx had seven hits to two errors while the Panthers finished with 11 hits and one error. Rhodes erased a 4-2 deficit in the top of the eighth thanks to a grand slam from sophomore Nick Bosma, but could not sustain the lead in the the bottom half of the eighth.

Senior Blake Glauben made his return to the mound for the first time since March 5th, 2016 against Sewanee due to injury. LaGrange was able to get a run across the board early in the first for the 1-0 lead.

The Lynx responded in the top of the fourth as senior Bill Munson reached on an error, stole second, and moved to third on a sac bunt from senior Bennett Notestine. Senior Ryan Olive stepped to the plate and flied a ball to left, scoring Munson and earning a sac fly to tie it at one.

It would be a pitching dual between Glauben and the Panthers' Weekly. Rhodes took a 2-1 lead in the seventh inning as a leadoff single from junior Levi Greeneberg turned into a RBI single from sophomore Will Hunt.

However, in the bottom of the seventh, LaGrange responded with a three run lead to move ahead 4-2.

Rhodes was not done as back-to-back singles from sophomore Brady John and Munson followed by a walk to Notestine loaded the bases with no outs. After a pair of strikeouts, Bosma came through in the clutch with a monstrous grand slam to give Rhodes a 6-4 lead.

LaGrange responded by taking advantage of the Lynx relief pitching, pushing three across and getting a three up, three down in the top of the ninth to hold on for the win.

Glauben pitched 6.1 innings, allowing three runs on six hits to go with six strikeouts and four walks. Freshman Trey Sledge took the loss, pitching 0.2 innings and allowing four runs (one earned) on three hits while senior Jackson Lourie pitched one inning, allowing only two hits to go with two strikeouts.

Bosma led the way with a 2-for-4 day and four RBIs offensively while Munson scored a pair of runs in the contest. Munson, Notestine, Greenberg, Hunt, and John all had hits while Munson and Greenberg each had a stolen base.

Rhodes returns to action tomorrow evening in Montgomery as they take on the Southwestern (Texas) Pirates at 5 PM.