LAGRANGE, Ga. (April 19, 2022) - The Rhodes Lynx secured a massive, resume-boosting road win on Tuesday afternoon, defeating the nationally ranked LaGrange Panthers 9-6. The win moves Rhodes to 22-14-1 on the year, while LaGrange falls to 27-5.

The Panthers got on the board in the bottom of the first on a sac fly, but the Lynx were quick to respond. After Ben Wilson walked, Daniel Hicks ripped a single to the outfield, and advanced to second on the throw as they tried to nab Wilson going to third. Freshman Ben Burkhart would make the defense pay, slapping a single down the right field line to score both runners. Rhodes then added to the lead in the third when Wood Kimbrough sent a ball to right field to score Peter York. John McNair also tried to score on the play, but was thrown out at home. Still, the Lynx led 3-1 after three. 

Another run came across for Rhodes in the fifth when Burkhart led off with a double and was brought in on a Bryce Anderson single. The Lynx threatened to add to the lead with the bases loaded and only one out, but a groundball double play helped LaGrange escape the jam. They would then carry that momentum to the plate in the bottom half of the inning. The first four Panthers of the inning recorded a hit, including two singles and two doubles. By the end of the inning, LaGrange had scored four runs on seven hits to take a 5-4 lead. 

Small ball brought the Lynx back in the sixth. Ben Wilson led off with a bunt single, and then stole second. Will Heurtin moved him to third with a sac bunt, and then Hicks drove Wilson home with a groundout to make it five all. LaGrange showed why they are one of the most feared offenses in the country when Jack Layrisson launched a solo home run to retake the lead at 6-5. 

Again, the Lynx refused to go down easy. In the otp of the seventh, Malcolm Rohlfing, York, and Dante Messina loaded the bases via single, single and walk with no one out. After a pitching change, McNair brought in Rohlfing with a sac fly. Two batters later, it was Wilson coming through with a base knock to score York and give Rhodes a 7-6 lead. The Panthers threatened in the bottom half with men on second and third with only one out, but reliever Noah Roland got out of the jam thanks to a lineout double play.

Rhodes padded their lead in the eighth with a Rohlfing sac fly and a Messina RBI single to make the final of 9-6. Roland fired a 1-2-3 eighth inning before coach Jeff Cleanthes called on his closer John Fears to wrap up the ninth. The righty sidewinder did just that with a fly out, strikeout and groundout to give Rhodes their third win against a Top 5 ranked team this season. 

The offense tagged LaGrange pitchers for 13 hits in this one. Burkhart led the way with three hits, two of which were doubles. York, Messina, and Wilson each had two hits as well. 

Rhodes will wrap up their regular season this weekend when they host the Hendrix Warriors. The teams will play a doubleheader on Friday starting at 1:00 pm, and then play game three of the series on Saturday at 2:00 pm. The Saturday game wll be senior day as the team recognizes their upper classmen before the game