MEMPHIS - After splitting on opening day yesterday, the Rhodes College softball team came back on Sunday afternoon and picked up a pair of wins, defeating Maryville 8-1 before returning for a wild 11-9 victory over Westminster at the Rhodes Softball Complex.

In the first game, the Lynx bounced back from an 11-3 loss from the Scots on Saturday and were able to come away victorious over their rivals from Tennessee. Maryville got on the board first on a solo shot in the first, but Rhodes responded with a run in the bottom half of the first as junior Kirsten Samuels reached on an error, scoring freshman speedster Olivia Jackson.

The Lynx blew the game wide open in the bottom of the third. After a score on a wild pitch by Jackson, Rhodes got a RBI single from junior Maggie Mitchell, a two RBI double from senior Aubrey Blackstock, and a RBI single from sophomore Jill Healy put Rhodes ahead 6-1. Freshman Kayle Rose added a RBI on a bunt and the Lynx lead increased to 7-1.

It was all junior Allison Long would need in the circle, as she went the distance, allowing only one run to six hits to go with a strikeout and only one walk. In the top of the fifth,

Maryville looked to cut into the 7-1 deficit as they loaded the bases with one out, but a brilliant defensive play by senior Christine Hume, making a great catch on a lineout and tagging third simultaneously, gave Rhodes two outs in the blink of an eye. Long got a groundout to end the inning and keep Rhodes ahead 7-1.

Rhodes tagged an insurance run in the sixth on a two RBI double from Samuels and the Lynx cruised to the 8-1 victory.

For Long, it was her first win of 2017 and a great bounce back game after taking the loss to the Scots one day ago. Hume finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored while Samuels and Jackson each had a two hit game. Samuels also stole a pair of bases in the contest.

In the second game, Westminster jumped out to a 3-0 lead, taking advantage of three Lynx errors in the inning. However, Rhodes responded in the bottom half with two runs thanks to a two RBI double from Samuels.

It took one swing in the second inning to put Rhodes ahead as Blackstock hammered a two run bomb to left center as the Lynx were suddenly ahead 4-3. Rhodes put up a five spot in the third inning behind RBIs from Samuels, sophomore Katelynn Bressler, and two more RBIs from Blackstock, this time on a single.

In the fourth, the Lynx took advantage of Blue Jay miscues and extended the lead to 11-3, looking to eliminate Westminster in the top of the fifth. However, the Blue Jays put up a six spot, chasing starter Shannon Tierney and eventually forcing Long to return to the circle.

However, Rhodes settled in and Long closed the door to pick up a save as Rhodes would hold on to win a wild contest, 11-9.

Blackstock and Samuels each had a pair of hits with Blackstock driving in four and scoring twice and Samuels driving in three. Hume also had a two hit game with two runs scored while sophomore Kendall Henry scored three runs and stole a pair of bases.

Tierney earned her first career win, allowing five earned runs on four hits to go with one strikeout in four innings pitched while Long pitched 2.1 innings, allowing only one hit to earn a save.

Rhodes moves to 3-1 on the young season and will prepare to take the road for the first time this season as they head to Atlanta, Ga. The Lynx are back in action on Saturday as they take on Emory at 9 AM ET and Averett at 11 AM ET on the campus of Emory University.