Rhodes College punched their ticket to the SAA Championship with a commanding 5-0 victory over #2 Centre and a solid 8-4 victory over the host, #1 Millsaps in Jackson, Mississippi.
Game 1
Rhodes College secured a dominant 5-0 victory over Centre College in the SAA quarterfinals, led by an outstanding performance from pitcher Zac Sohosky, who threw a complete-game shutout, allowing just four hits and striking out six.
The Lynx offense came alive in the later innings. Ben Daniel opened the scoring in the fifth with a solo homer to left-center, and Rhodes added insurance in the seventh inning with a four-run surge. Daniel continued his standout game with an RBI single, while Myles Kruger's two-RBI single extended the lead. Cooper Kuriger scored an unearned run on a double play to cap the scoring.
Rhodes' defense backed Sohosky with clean plays and a double play, overcoming a lone error by Myles Kruger. The Lynx capitalized on Centre's defensive struggles, which included four errors.
With this win, Rhodes advanced to the semifinals, showcasing a balanced combination of pitching dominance, timely hitting, and strong team effort.
Game 2
In a thrilling matchup in Jackson, Mississippi, Rhodes College came from behind to defeat #1 Millsaps College 8-4. The game started with a quick lead for Rhodes, as Ben Burkhart scored on a fielding error in the first inning. Millsaps quickly responded in the second inning with a hit-by-pitch RBI, tying the game at 1-1.
Millsaps took control in the middle innings, with key RBIs from C. Page and B. Pelle, building a 4-1 lead by the sixth inning. But Rhodes wasn't finished yet. In the seventh, Cooper Angilly blasted a three-run homer to left field, bringing the game to a 4-4 tie. Corbin Kinder then stepped up with a two-run single, putting Rhodes ahead 6-4.
The late innings saw more insurance for Rhodes, with a sacrifice fly from Austin Smith and another error by Millsaps allowing Rhodes to add two more runs in the eighth. On the mound, Will May (3-4) picked up the win, tossing 2.2 innings of scoreless relief, while Mick Arney earned his fourth save with three shutout innings.
With the win, the Lynx advance to the SAA Championship game for the first time since 2019 on Saturday at 5p.m. in Jackson, Mississippi.
