Beavers Drop Doubleheader at Rhodes

MEMPHIS, TN – Blackburn College Softball took on Rhodes College Wednesday but fell to the Lynx 8-3 and 7-6 in the nonconference doubleheader. 

Freshman Kailynn Kruep led the way with five hits, including two doubles. She also scored a run and had the team's lone stolen base. Sophomore Zoe Mitchell added three hits with a double and a home run while posting three runs batted in. Brianna Melchor also had three hits with a double. 

Junior Miley Kwiatkowski chipped in with two hits and two runs as freshman Sierra Hiser also had two hits with a double. 

Senior Holly Heuerman scored the Beavers first run of the day in the second inning of the first game with a lead off home run for her second homer of the year. The run tied the game at 1-1 but Rhodes managed to add three runs in the bottom of the inning then added another in the third. 

Mitchell narrowed the deficit in the fourth inning with her first home run of the season to make it 5-2. The Lynx responded with another run in their fourth inning, then added two more in the sixth. The seventh inning saw Kwiatkowski single and advanced to third on a passed ball and a ground out. Senior Mckenzie Smith hit a single to score Kwiatkowski but it would be the only run of the inning to force BC to take the 8-3 defeat. 

The nightcap saw Blackburn respond strong as they held a 5-1 lead after four innings. The second inning featured Mitchell hitting a double to get on base and got to third off a single from junior Grace Mackey. Senior Lexi Shaw then came to bat and hit into a fielders choice to score Mitchell. Shaw would soon score the second run of the inning off Melchor's double. 

After the hosts scored in the bottom of the inning, Kruep opened the third inning with a single then got to second off a ball hit by Mitchell before stealing third. With Kruep on third, Mackey singled to advance Mitchell to second which brought up Shaw with bases loaded. Shaw took advantage with a double to score both Kruep and Mitchell and give BC a 4-1 lead. 

Breanna Allen extended the lead in the fourth inning. She reached first with a walk then advanced to third on a Kruep double. Freshman Kenadee Frey then hit a ball that resulted in a Lynx error to allow Allen to reach home and give the Beavers a 5-1 advantage. Rhodes managed to score five runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to go ahead 6-5. 

In the final inning, Mackey reached first after getting hit by a pitch and Kwiatkowski would pinch run for her. Kwiatkowski used back to back Lynx errors to score to tie the game entering the bottom of the inning. However, two doubles by Rhodes allowed the Lynx to score the winning run and capture a 7-6 victory. 

The teams will return to the field Thursday for another non conference doubleheader.