MEMPHIS, Tenn. (March 26, 2022) - A wild day at the ballpark eventually ended with the Rhodes Lynx adding two wins to their season ledger. Rhodes defeated the Centre Colonels 7-3 in game one, and walked off the Colonels 6-4 in game two. Rhodes now sits at 14-10-1 (5-3 SAA) on the season. 

Game One
Rhodes 7
Centre 3

Starting pitcher Nick Ferazzi was in top form on the mound in game one, helping the Lynx to a win. After Ferazzi struck out a pair in the first, the Lynx took a 1-0 lead in the bottom half when Wood Kimbrough singled home Mitchell O'Berry. Ferazzi struck out the side in the second, but ran into trouble in the third, giving up a two-run hone run to Jordan Gunter. John McNair had his pitcher's back when he obliterated a pitch off of the hitting facility in dead center with a runner on to give Rhodes a 3-2 lead. Rhodes tacked on one more in the top of the fourth when Bryce Anderson led off the inning with a moonshot to left field to make the score 4-2. 

The fifth inning for Rhodes was fantastic as the first six hitters of the inning all hit safely. Kimbrough doubled to lead off, and was joined on the bases on singles from Wil Heurtin, Ben Wilson, Dante Messina, Bryce Anderson, and Malcolm Rohlfing. Three runs came across the plate in the inning, giving Rhodes a 7-2 lead. Centre scored once more on a sac fly in the sixth to make the final of 7-3. 

Ferazzi lasted until the the top of the eighth, recording two outs in the inning before being pulled with a pitch count over 115 pitches. Andy Hanaway finished the inning, and then John Fears finished the game with a strikeout in the final at bat.

Ferazzi's final line read 7.2 innings, six hits, three runs and ten strikeouts. McNair was 2-4 with two RBI. Kimbrough had three hits, a run and an RBI in game one. 

Game Two
Rhodes 6
Centre 4

The second game of the double dip began as a pitcher's duel between Centre's Chris Werrmann and Rhodes' Jaxon Cady. Both tossed harmless first innings. Rhodes then had a chance in the second with runners at second and third, but a strikeout and flyout ended the threat. In the bottom of the fourth, the Lynx finally broke through. The first two batters of the inning were put out, but Ben Wilson kept the inning alive with a single to center. Daniel Hicks followed with a single through the right side, putting Wilson at third. After Hicks stole second, Quinn Blackman walked to load the bases. Nine-hole hitter Ben Burkhart came through in a big way, launching a ball to thr right-field corner that scored all three runners. 

Cady carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning, and retired the leadoff man. Immediately after, things went off the rails for Rhodes. The next hitter walked, followed by Gunter breaking up the no-no with a single up the middle. An RBI single ensued, followed by a second walk to load the bases in a 3-1 games. John Gibbs came on in relief of Cady, and gave up a sac fly. He would then walk the next two batters, reloading bases and tying the game at three. John Fears was then called on to put out the fire, which he did with a strikeout of pinch-hitter Robert Monaco. 

After Rhodes went quietly in the sixth, Centre took a lead in the seventh. A single and a walk put two men on with two outs. First baseman Patrick Hope then punched a ball through the left side to score the go-ahead run, making it 4-3 Centre. With three outs to go, Rhodes went to work. Burkhart ripped his second double of the game, this time to right-center, to lead off. After a pitching change, Peter York moved Burkhart to third with a bunt. O'Berry then bunted as well, moving York to second with one out. This set the stage for slugger John McNair. Facing closer Luc Morgan, McNair annihilated a fast ball over the right-field fence for the walkoff, three-run dinger.

Burkhart had two hits and three RBI to lead the offense. McNair's five RBI on the day give him 32 on the season, which leads the SAA.

These two teams will wrap up their series on Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for noon at Stauffer Field.  

A special shout out goes to Jim Heurtin, father of Rhodes shortstop Will, who traveled from Louisiana and provided authentic cajun food and refreshments for all the fans in attendance, free-of-charge.