Rhodes downed fourth-ranked LaGrange 9-6 in a non-conference game Tuesday at Cleaveland Field in Williamson Stadium. The Panthers' record is now 27-5, while the Lynx upped their record to 22-14-1.
Jack Layrisson had two hits, including a home run, and three RBIs. Matt Eden had three hits and drove in a run. McKinley Erves had two doubles and scored a run. Joe Ruth had two RBIs in the game, giving him 60 on the season. He became the third player in the program's history to reach the mark.
Tanner Chafin (0-1), the third of six pitchers used by the Panthers, took the loss. He worked 1-2/3 innings and gave up three earned runs. Hayden Stone started the game and pitched into the third inning, allowing three runs.
Layrisson drove in the first run of the game with a sacrifice fly in the first inning. Rhodes came back to take a 4-1 lead into the bottom of the fifth inning.
Rhett Mixon led off the fifth for LC with a bunt single and went to third on Erves' double down the right field line. Ruth followed with a double off the right field fence to drive in Mixon and Erves to make it 4-3. Layrisson's single brought home Ruth with the tying run. He moved up on a ground out, then took third on an errant pick off attempt. Eden's single to right scored Layrisson to put LC up 5-4.
Rhodes tied the game with a run in the sixth. Layrisson answered for the Panthers in their half of the sixth. He blasted his fifth home run season off the scoreboard in right field to give the Panthers a 6-5 lead.
The lead was short lived. Rhodes pushed across two runs in the seventh inning. The Panthers loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh, but the Lynx turned an inning-ending double play to get out of the inning. The Lynx added two insurance runs in the eighth for the 9-6 final.
The Panthers host Maryville in a three-game USA South series starting Friday at 7 p.m. The two teams play at 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Sunday will be Senior Day for nine Panthers.
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