MEMPHIS - During senior weekend, a weekend that focuses on the final home contests at Stauffer Field for the Rhodes College baseball team, senior Blake Glauben simply clinched an extra weekend of home games for his fellow classmates.
And he did it in breath taking fashion.
Glauben pitched nine complete, fanning 11 Colonels, and allowing no runs on no hits for his first career no hitter as the Lynx soared past Centre for a 6-0 win, clinching the No. 2 seed.
Rhodes will now host the four team, double elimination pod for the SAA Championship beginning next weekend.
For Glauben, one of the most prolific pitchers in Lynx history, he put an exclamation point to what has already been a brilliant career, completely dominating the Colonels all afternoon to earn the first no hitter in the 14-year coaching tenure of Jeff Cleanthes at Rhodes.
Glauben got help throughout the day thanks to the Lynx bats as well as some other seniors. Sophomore Nick Bosma got it started as he stepped to the plate in the second and belted a bomb down the left field line, his seventh of the season, for a 1-0 lead.
Glauben did not need anymore help as he mowed through the Centre lineup, retiring eight straight hitters throughout the fifth.
Rhodes blew it open in the fifth as sophomore Brady John singled one home and then executed a perfect double steal with senior Zac Lange, who stole home on the play to make it 3-0.
Senior Bill Munson laced a two RBI double down the left field line to make it 5-0. Senior Bennett Notestine pushed the lead to 6-0 with a solo shot to right.
Glauben worked throughout the game, throwing 126 pitches, but worked through some walks and was able to complete the game and the no hitter. Along with his 11 strikeouts, Glauben forced 12 ground outs and five fly outs, facing 32 batters on the day.
Rhodes stole five bases on the day with Lange stealing two to go with his 2-for-2 day at the plate. Munson was 2-for-4 with the two RBI double while Notestine scored a pair of runs. John, Bosma, and sophomore Chris Winter all had a hit and a run scored while senior Ryan Olive added a hit on the day.
The Lynx move to 20-17 overall and 12-7 in the SAA
Rain delayed what would've been a double header for almost four hours so the Lynx only got one game in today. The two teams will finish their three game series tomorrow beginning at 11 AM. Before the game, Rhodes will honor its senior class.