Over the weekend, in Danville, Ky., the Rhodes College Softball team swept the Centre College Colonels to close out regular season play on a high note.
Game 1
On a gray, wet afternoon in Danville, the Rhodes Lynx roared to an 11-5 victory over the Centre Colonels. From the first inning, Rhodes asserted their dominance. Savannah Russell crossed home plate on a sharp single from Quinn Thompson, and Harper Allee-Press followed with an RBI of her own, putting Rhodes ahead 2-0.
The Lynx found their stride in the 4th inning, unleashing a flurry of hits that left Centre scrambling. Russell's single sparked the rally, while Thompson and Kate Ledlie added crushing blows, including a powerful double to left-center. By the inning's end, Rhodes had built an 8-0 lead.
Centre's response came off the bat of C. Floyd, who launched a towering three-run homer in the bottom of the inning, breathing life into the Colonels' dugout. But Rhodes refused to let momentum slip away. In the 5th, they piled on three more runs, capitalizing on Centre's wild pitches and defensive lapses.
Pitcher Gina Dudley held steady on the mound for Rhodes, fending off Centre's late attempts at a comeback. Despite a brief surge from the Colonels, the Lynx's early offensive outburst proved insurmountable.
Game 2
The morning dawned chilly and cloudy in Danville as Rhodes took on Centre in a tightly contested game that saw the Lynx emerge victorious, 2-0.
The breakthrough came in the 3rd inning. With two runners on, Emma Caplinger delivered a clutch single up the middle, driving in Athena Gonzales and Jasmyn Stanley. The Lynx's offense was limited to just four hits, but Caplinger's timely knock proved decisive.
On the mound, Taylor Petty was nothing short of dominant. The Rhodes pitcher allowed just one hit over seven innings, striking out 12 and refusing to let any Centre player reach scoring position. Her precise pitching silenced the Colonels' lineup, which managed only a singluar hit.
Despite a strong defensive showing from Centre, led by pitcher A. Howard, who conceded just two runs on four hits, the Colonels' bats remained cold. Rhodes capitalized on their opportunities and leaned on Petty's stellar performance to secure the win.
Game 3
The afternoon clash between Rhodes and Centre turned into a slugfest as the Lynx exploded for 14 runs, cruising to a decisive 14-3 victory.
Talia Travis sparked the offense with a homer, two runs scored, and aggressive base running, while Emma Caplinger and Harper Allee-Press contributed clutch hits, driving in two runs each. The Lynx offense clicked from the second inning onward, racking up 13 hits and capitalizing on Centre's errors to pile on the runs.
The second inning set the tone, with Rhodes posting a five-run outburst. Sacrifices and singles strung together, and Caplinger's two-run single highlighted the inning. Centre responded with solo home runs from K. Caudill, M. Tabor, and A. Branin, but their offense couldn't keep pace.
In the circle, Gina Dudley earned her 13th win of the season, pitching four innings with five strikeouts before handing the ball over to Emily Pertuit, who shut the door with two scoreless innings.
Rhodes' relentless attack, combining power, speed, and timely hitting, overwhelmed the Colonels and secured a commanding win and a series sweep.
The Lynx now look ahead to post-season play which will be played in Columbus, Ga., next weekend.
