MEMPHIS, Tenn. (April 19, 2022) - The Rhodes Lynx used a Tuesday doubleheader against Division II Lane College as a tuneup before the SAA tournament this weekend. Rhodes and Lane split the two game, with the Dragons taking game one and the Lynx walking off in game two. Rhodes now sits at 13-19 on the year.
Game One
Lane 4
Rhodes 3
The first game featured a solid effort from both starting pitchers. After each team failed to score in the first two innings, the Dragons broke through in the top of the third with a leadoff bunt single, a sac bunt, and a pair of doubles to make it 2-0. They increased their lead to 4-0 in the fourth on a wild pitch and another double. Rhodes attempted a comeback in the bottom half. A leadoff single was a good start but back-to-back fielder's choice groundouts killed the momentum. However, with two outs,
Madison Bromley launched a high fly ball over the fence in left to cut the lead in half.
Madison Keller did a good job keeping the Lynx in the game, firing scoreless frames in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings. In their final at bat, Rhodes tried once more to rally. Keller led the inning off with a single up the middle, her third career hit.
Cam Ferguson followed with a single of her own, putting the tying run on base. After a groundout,
Hannah Schweiger ripped a single to center, which brought in pinch-runner
Beth Fleming. Unfortunately, the game would end in anti-climatic fashion as
Lauren Little was thrown out trying to advance on a wild pitch.
Ferguson and Schweiger each had three hits to lead the Lynx offense. Keller had nine strikeouts in the loss.
Game Two
Rhodes 11
Lane 10
8 Innings
If anyone had the Rhodes or Lane hitters in their fantasy lineup for game two, they probably went home happy. The game was an absolute slugfest, with the two teams combining for 21 runs on 23 hits. All eight innings saw at least one run scored in either the top or bottom half.
Lane jumped out to a 5-1 lead after the top fo the third inning. Rhodes made their move in the bottom half though. After Schweiger and
Madison Granberry singed, Bromley delivered her second bomb of the day, an absolute moonshot to left field to pull the Lynx within one. They would tie the game, and take the lead, in the bottom fo the fourth.
Leslie Matherne led off with a triple, and was promptly brought in on a Ferguson single. A pitching change did not help the Dragons as the fresh arm hit
Nikki Greuel, and the gave up an RBI single to Schweiger. Moments later, Bromley would pick up an RBI with a bases loaded walk, followed by a
Hannah Grace Roden RBI on a line drive up the middle to make it 8-5.
Lane picked up one in the fifth, and then three in the sixth to retake the lead at 9-8.
Madison Granberry supplied the Lynx response in the bottom half by launching a nuke to left with a runner on to give Rhodes a 10-9 lead. The Dragons were able to tie the game in their final at bat of regulation thanks to a sac fly.
Each team would start with a runner on second in extras. Lane threatened with runners on the corners and nobody out, but Keller (who had come on in relief in the sixth) put together a stupendous effort from the circle. She struck out the next batter, induced a weak pop up to left, and then struck out another hitter to quell the Dragon threat. Rhodes would come through in their opportunity. Granberry reached on a bunt single, moving Schweiger to third. Siekerka came through in the clutch here, blooping a single to right that plated Schweiger to give Rhodes the walk off win.
Rhodes collected 13 hits in this one, with Granberry and Schweiger tallying three each. Bromley had four RBI and a run scored.
The Lynx will enter the SAA Tournament as the #5 seed. They will play #4 Hendrix on the campus of #1 seed Berry on Friday. The weekend will be a double-elimination style bracket. Stay tuned to RhodesLynx.com for the latest updates as they happen
