Sauget, Ill. – A five-run third inning for Rhodes baseball knocked off No. 1-ranked Wisconsin-Whitewater 6-3 Sunday afternoon, advancing the Lynx to the Central Regional Championship series Monday afternoon.
Jacob Dubs got the start on the mound for the Lynx and sat the No. 1-ranked Wisconsin-Whitewater Warhawks down in order after striking out their first batter. Rhodes tallied the first run of the game after Paul Giacomazzi singled to lead the Lynx offense. He then advanced to second on Zac Lange's two-strike sac bunt. Jacob Telli singled up the middle which allowed Giacomazzi to round third before Whitewater's throw to the plate sent him back to third. Telli, tried to advance to second and drew a wild throw from Whitewater's catcher, which allowed Giacomazzi to score the first run of the game.
Despite the Lynx sitting down in order on strikeouts in the second inning and Whitewater tying the game in the top half of the third, Rhodes posted five runs on six hits in the bottom half of the inning to lead 6-1.
Playing in right field to start the game, Nick Bosma robbed a three-run home run away from Nick Schrader to end the top of the fourth. With a shelf cloud moving over the ballpark and the wind blowing from right to left to start the fifth inning, Whitewater's Cal Aldridge lofted the only home run of the game over the left field wall.
After a brief 20-minute rain delay in the bottom of the fifth, Whitewater brought in Westin Muir to the mound while the Lynx kept Dubs in the game until Alex Garrett replaced him two-thirds of the way through the inning. Garrett allowed just one run in the top of the ninth and two hits over 2.2 innings before Bosma came in and earned the save. With one out and the bases loaded, Levi Greenberg snagged a deep fly ball to right center as Whitewater tallied their final run on a sac fly.
Rhodes earned their third win of the NCAA Regional, the most in program history, after Whitewater grounded out to Liebenson at second base.
Giacomazzi continues to be an offensive threat, going three-of-three at the plate with a walk, RBI and two runs scored. Telli went two-of-two and scored once while adding a walk as well.
Dubs went 5.2 innings and struck out four Warhawks while giving up five hits. Garrett struck out two batters while neither he nor Bosma allowed a walk.
Rhodes will play in their first-ever NCAA Regional Championship series beginning at noon on Monday, May 20th. Rhodes needs just one more win to advance to the NCAA Division III College World Series in Appleton, Wis.