JACKSON, Tenn. - Rhodes College and Southwestern faced off in the eighth game of the SCAC Conference Tournament in a rematch of the opening game of the tournament. Though slow to start the Pirates revved up their offense in the second half of the game, scoring six runs in their final three at bats to win 7-2 and remain alive.
Rhodes struck first, scoring with two outs on a Pirate error in the top of the first. Amanda Ambrose scored the equalizer, reaching first on a shot to center and then stealing second to move into scoring position. With two outs Ambrose was off and running on Haley Hughes' swing giving her just enough jump to beat the throw home on Hughes' single to left field, tying the score 1-1.
In similar fashion to the first inning the Lynx scored with two outs after a single and sacrifice to move the runner into scoring position. Brown hit a line drive just over the out-stretched arm of Ambrose at short to push in the run and move Rhodes up 2-1.
After a few fruitless innings Tessa Galloway handed the lead to the Pirates with one swing of the bat, driving the ball over the left field fence to bring home herself and Karen Ramirez in the process. The two run shot put Southwestern up 3-2 through four.
Kaitlyn Pavlicek came in relief in the circle to start the fourth and despite allowing a few baserunners kept the Lynx off balance with outstanding command of the ball.
To open the sixth Ashleigh Scott, Galloway and Kady Freshour singled to load the bases for Abi O'Connor with no outs, looking to pad their lead with a few runs. O'Connor sent a bouncer back to Peters on the mound who wasn't able to field the awkward bounce and allowed a run to score. Turpin followed suit with a single to Peters to bring in another run. After all was said and done the Pirates saw themselves up by five, 7-2.
KP continued to work the outside corner with precision and after uncharacteristically walking two batters the Rhodes' Brown hit a shot off the right field fence to drive in one run and leave runners on second and third for Zomer with one out. A sacrifice fly to right field by Zomer brought RC within three, 4-7, but more importantly put the Pirates one out away from securing the win.
Williams followed with a single up the middle to drive in another run but KP got Martin to ground out to Ramirez at second base to end the game.
Southwestern had 11 hits in the game including a 3-3 performance from Galloway. Pavlicek earned the win with 4 innings of work, allowing four hits, three runs while striking out five and walking two.
The win advances SU to the loser bracket semi-final to seek revenge on their earlier loss to Birmingham Southern.