Box Score SEWANEE, Tenn. –
Ansley Giffin singled and drove in a run but Rhodes scored five runs in the final two innings in a 7-1 victory over Sewanee in an elimination game Friday in the SAA Softball Championships in Columbus, Ga.
The Tigers (10-27) trailed 2-0 in the bottom of the fourth when
Maggie Barker reached on an error to start the inning and
Sydney Tackett singled to left.
Hannah Wilson bunted the runners to second and third and Giffin drove in a run with a single to leftcenter. Giffin stole second as well before
Madilyn Parker popped out and
Christian Cain flied out to deep leftcenter, keeping the Lynx (22-17) in front, 2-1.
In the fifth Reagan Huskey was hit but was doubled off after
Kaylie Smith popped up a bunt attempt, the final good scoring chance for Sewanee. Rhodes plated two runs in the sixth and three more in the seventh to break the game open and end the season for the Tigers.
Gina Dudley (14-6) allowed one unearned run on four hits in a complete game, walking one with three strikeouts to pick up the victory. Huskey (7-17) suffered the loss, giving up five runs, three earned, in six-plus innings on six hits. She walked one and struck out three.
Tackett, Giffin,
Kaylie Smith and
Sophie Nolen picked up hits for the Tigers, all singles.
Savannah Russell singled through the left side to leadoff the game and stole second. Campbell Smith then reached on an error and also stole second before Emma Caplinger walked, loading the bases. Huskey worked out of the jam after Quinn Thompson lined into a doubleplay and Harper Allee-Press grounded out to end the threat.
The Lynx got on the board in the third when Jasmyn Stanley reached on an error and Russell was hit. Campbell Smith's ground ball moved the runners to second and third and Caplinger's groundout plated a run. Thompson then singled to left, scoring another run for a 2-0 Rhodes advantage.
Kaylie Smith doubled to leftcenter with two outs in the third for Sewanee's first hit of the game, but
Abbie Buckner flied out to end the inning. Rhodes also made diving plays to get outs on a fly ball in leftcenter off the bat of Barker and a groundout by Cain.
Rhodes added to its lead in the sixth after leadoff singles from Allee-Press and Katie Beijan, putting runners on the corners. Madison Bromley bunted between the plate and the circle, beating the throw to first. Allee-Press scored on the play, with the throw home in time but falling out of Wilson's glove on the tag.
Beijan reached third on the play and scored on a sacrifice fly to center by Talia Travis for a 4-1 advantage.
In the seventh Campbell Smith was hit and Caplinger walked before a sacrifice bunt by Thompson pushed the runners to second and third. Allee-Press hit a line drive off the glove of pitcher Hannah Hollis for an RBI single and Beijan followed with a two-run double down the leftfield line.
