MEMPHIS, Tenn. (March 13, 2022) - The Rhodes Lynx may have turned their season around with a doubleheader sweep of the #3 Birmingham-Southern Panthers on Sunday at Stauffer Field. The win pushes Rhodes to 8-7-1 on the season, and 3-2 in SAA play. The Panthers fall to 11-4 (3-2 SAA). 

Game One
Rhodes 7 
Birmingham-Southern 6

The first game started on a high note for the Lynx as they plated three in the first inning. After Dante Messina singled and John McNair walked, a catcher's interference loaded the bases with one out. A wild pitch scored Messina, followed by a Will Heurtin RBI single and a Ben Wilson RBI groundout. The Panthers got one back in the second on a throwing error from Rhodes to make it 3-1. After Rhodes failed to score with a runner on third and none out in the fourth, BSC took advantage with a big fifth inning, scoring three times on an RBI groundout and a two-RBI double from Noah Best. Their lead grew to 5-3 on a wild pitch in the seventh, and then 6-3 on a pinch-hit RBI from Cam McNearney in the eighth. 

McNair started the comeback rally with a solo home run to lead off the eighth inning. That was followed by a double from Wood Kimbrough, which led to a pitching change for the Panthers. Heurtin ripped the first pitch he saw from closer Davis Williams through the middle for an RBI single, making it a 6-5 game. 

In the ninth, Rhodes called on Noah Roland for a scoreless ninth. He was fantastic under pressure, striking out two in the scoreless frame. In the final at-bat for the Lynx, Malcolm Rohlfing blooped a single to left and was replaced by pinch-runner Julien Brown. After a flyout, Messina walked to put two men on. After striking out the dangerous McNair, Kimbrough came through with a single through the left side that scored Brown and tied the game. With the game tied and down 0-2 in the count, Huertin worked a walk to load the bases. The Lynx then secured the win when Williams' first pitch to Ben Wilson got past the catcher, allowing Messina to score the winning run. 

Rhodes starter Nick Ferazzi tossed a quality start in this one, going six innings while allowing three earned runs with five strikeouts. Three Lynx ... McNair, Kimbrough and Heurtin ... had multiple hits. 

Game Two
Rhodes 6
Birmingham-Southern 2

Game two was almost over before it began. Rhodes starter C.J. Carron struck out two in the top of the first, and then received all the help he would need in the bottom half. With one out, four straight Lynx recorded base hits, including RBI from Kimbrough, Heurtin, and a two-run double from Wilson. Two batters later, Gunnar Vachris joined the hit parade with a single to center that scored Wilson, making it 5-0. 

Carron continued his dominance on the mound by striking out the side in the second. The Panthers did record a run in the third on an error, but a groundball double play stopped any further damage. Carron added two more strikeouts in the fourth, and received an insurance run in the bottom half on a wild pitch that scored Rholfing. A leadoff double in the fifth gad potential to be a problem, but Carron picked Eli Steadman off of second. He then struck out two more to get out of the fifth unscathed. After recording two outs in the seventh, Carron was pulled after allowing a second run on an RBI single to Will Lantis on his 111th pitch. John Fears came on in relief and shut the door on the Panthers to secure the 6-2 win. 

Carron finished with a line of 6.2 innings, seven hits, one earned run, one walk and 12 strikeouts. He is up to 40 strikeouts on the season, 3rd most in the SAA. He is sporting a K/9 of 15.21 on the season.  

The two teams will wrap the series on Monday morning at 11:00 am at Stauffer Field.