Game 1 Box
Game 2 Box

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The Hendrix College softball lost the final two games of a Southern Athletic Association series at Rhodes College on Sunday afternoon. The host Lynx (20-12, 14-5) won game one 4-3 in nine innings, then defeated the Warriors (19-15, 8-10) 7-3 to complete the sweep of the series.

In the opener, Rhodes took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth when third baseman Makenzie Martin singled, stole second and scored on a base hit by first baseman Jessica Pewitt. Hendrix answered with a three-run fifth inning. With one out, senior center fielder Sydney Copeland doubled and junior second baseman Catelyn Gibbs walked against starter Chloe Hundman. Forrest Skelton came in to get Michaela Larabee to ground out, but walked freshman Jill Sikes. Senior pitcher Ashley Halbert followed with a bases-clearing double to give the Warriors the 3-1 lead.

Catcher Courtney Williams led the bottom of the fifth off with a double and later scored on a Megan Matthews sacrifice fly to cut the deficit to 3-2. Rhodes tied the game in the bottom of the seventh when center fielder Danielle Smith led off with a single, stole second and scored from third on a ground out by Erin Parker.

Matthews hit a game-winning solo home run with one out in the bottom of the ninth.

Halbert and Sikes both had two hits for Hendrix. Jessica Brown went 3-for-4 and Erin Parker, Pewitt, Williams and Smith each had two hits.

Skelton (11-5) earned the win, striking out five and allowing four hits, one run and two walks in 4.2 innings of relief. Halbert (8-10) took the loss, giving up 14 hits and four runs in 8.1 innings.

In game two, Rhodes scored four runs on three hits in the first inning. Pewitt and Williams both had two-run singles in the frame.

In the top of the second Copeland hit a two-run double, scoring freshman first baseman Shelby Anderson and sophomore left fielder Kaitlyn Zamzow to make the game 4-2. The Warriors made it a one-run game in the fourth when Anderson led off with a single, was sacrificed over by freshman pitcher Kayla Patton, moved to third on a Tiffany Hubbard base hit and scored on another sac bunt from Zamzow.

The Lynx extended the lead to 5-3 in the bottom of the fourth when Smith doubled and later scored on a Matthews ground ball. They added two more runs on RBI singles from Pewitt and Skelton in the sixth.

Anderson went 2-for-2 with two runs scored and a sac bunt for Hendrix. Pewitt was 3-for-4 with three RBI and Skleton had two hits.

Rhodes starter Chloe Hundman (9-7) earned the win by striking out three and giving up seven hits, three runs and a walk. Patton (5-2) allowed 11 hits, five earned runs, two walks and struck out five in the losing effort.

Hendrix will play their final regular season series at Millsaps College in Jackson, Miss. beginning Saturday.