After dropping game 1 on Friday, the Lynx returned to Stauffer field determined to bounce back. They were set to square off against the Hendrix College Warriors in a double header to put a cap on the SAA conference series.
The warriors led the series 1-0 heading into game 2, but the Lynx offense came to play as they jumped out to an early lead in the bottom of the first. Singles from Dante Messina and Corbin Kinder gave Rhodes the first 2 runs of the ball game, and a wild pitch followed by a bases loaded walk from Nick Barber rounded out a 4 run first inning. There was no stopping the Lynx from there as they continued providing run support for their pitching staff. After Quinn Blackman scored in the bottom of the 3rd, Ben Burkhart notched a single to plate Nick Barber and extend the lead to 6-0. 2 more runs would come across for the Lynx in the bottom of the 5th thanks to a Cooper Kuriger single followed by another bases loaded walk from Dante Messina. Myles Kruger stroked an RBI double in the bottom of the 7th driving in Dante Messina and giving the Lynx a 9-0 lead going into the 8th. The final run of the game came from Quinn Blackman's second homer of the year as he blasted a line drive shot to left to put up the 10th run of the game.
The offense provided all the support the pitching staff needed and much more as a masterful start from freshman pitcher Ben Daniel shut down the Warriors. Daniel shoved for 5.1 innings, striking out 4 and not allowing a single run. Reid Lampert and Noah Roland would combine for a relief appearance consisting of 3.2 innings of 1 run ball, striking out 5 Warriors. Roland would close the door in the top of the 9th giving the Lynx a 10-1 victory in game 2 of the series.
With the series all knotted up 1-1, both teams were prepared to lay it all on the line to take home the conference victory. Hendrix would start the scoring as they placed 2 runs on the board in both the top of the 2nd and the top of the 3rd. The Lynx began clawing back as they put up a pair of runs of their own in the bottom of the 3rd thanks to an RBI single from Myles Kruger followed by a fielder's choice from Corbin Kinder that drove Dante Messina across the plate. Strong pitching from both sides kept each offense off the board up until the bottom of the 7th. Because it was the second game of a double header, the bottom of the 7th saw the Lynx down to their final 3 outs facing a 2-run deficit. Rhodes would load the bases with 2 outs, down to their final out and Eli Selby delivered a clutch 2 RBI single to tie the game 4-4 and send it to extra innings.
Will May turned in an electric relief performance spanning 4.1 innings of shut down baseball. With the game tied in the top of the 9th, the Warriors were able to reclaim a 5-4 lead, once again leaving the Lynx down to their final 3 outs.
After Corbin Kinder got on base to lead off the bottom of the 9th, the Lynx would record their first two outs of the inning. With his back against the wall in a 2-strike count, Malcolm Rohlfing delivered in the clutch hammering an RBI triple plating Corbin Kinder and tying the game once again at 5-5. The next batter would be the freshman Cooper Kuriger who was asked to execute a squeeze bunt to win the ball game. Kuriger did just that as he reached safely on the bunt down the 3rd base line scoring Malcolm Rohlfing and walking off the Warriors in game 3. This thriller would give the Lynx a 6-5 game 3 victory as well as a conference series win at home.
The Lynx will remain at home next weekend for another 3 game conference series against the Sewanee Tigers over Easter Weekend. That series will consist of a Friday double header with games being played at 12pm and 3pm, and the final game set for 12pm on Saturday.
