Owls Comeback Effort Falls Short Against Rhodes

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Westfield State sophomore Nick Marshall (Reading, Mass.) racked up a team-high four RBI, but the Owls comeback attempt came up just short in a 12-10 loss to Rhodes College on Wednesday afternoon. 

The Owls scored the final seven runs of the game, but two opportunistic innings on the part of the Lynx proved to be the difference in the contest.

Westfield drops to 2-5 on the season as their last five opponents have been either ranked in the top 25 of Division III or are getting receiving votes in the poll. Rhodes, who are one of those teams that are earning votes towards the top 25, improve to 10-7 overall.

The Owls scored the first two runs of the game in the second inning with Dan Burnett (Granville, Mass.) launching a two-run homer to left to score Ethan Day (Meriden, Conn.) and put the Owls up 2-0.

The Lynx answered in the bottom half of the frame, putting together one of their two big offensive innings on the afternoon. Corbin Kinder (Houston, Tex.) tied the game with a two-run double, then Quinn Blackman (Manasquan, N.J.) followed with a two-RBI single as the Lynx plated four runs in the frame. 

A two-out rally in the fourth inning allowed Rhodes to tack on two more runs. Peter York (Atlanta, Ga.) and Blackman both registered two-out singles, then Dante Messina (Ambler, Pa.) brought both runners home on a triple into the right-centerfield gap to put Rhodes up 6-2. 

The Owls loaded up the bases in the fifth inning with one out. Kyle Darby (South Windsor, Conn.) recorded an RBI after being hit by a pitch, but Westfield was unable to muster up any additional runs as John Fears (Atlanta, Ga.) was able to escape the jam by getting the next two outs.

In the bottom half of the inning, Rhodes generated a six-run inning which was punctuated by a one-out grand slam from Blackman which advanced the Lynx lead to 12-3. Blackman finished the day with six RBI. 

From that point forward, the Owls began to chip away at the deficit. A three-run sixth inning saw the Owls shave the Lynx lead to six runs after Marshall scorched a triple over the centerfielder's head to drive home Justin Neidel (Attleboro, Mass.) and Nolan Florence (Chicopee, Mass.). On the next at bat, Day singled home Marshall to make it 12-6 midway through the sixth.

The Owls bullpen did a nice job of keeping Rhodes off the scoreboard for the final three innings with Sean Casey (Amston, Conn.) settling into his final two innings out of the pen by retiring six of his last seven batters faced. 

In the eighth inning, Marshall roped a two-run home run to right-center field for his third and fourth RBI of the day, scoring Alex Martin (Shrewsbury, Mass.) to cut the deficit to 12-8. 

Dominic Novio (Mansfield, Mass.) pitched a scoreless eighth frame, stranding a runner on third base to set the Owls up for one last rally.

Burnett collected a leadoff single to open the ninth, then Robison Guerrero Baez (Dominican Republic) stung a ball on the barrel, but directly at the left fielder for the first out of the inning. Trey Faulkner (Springfield, Mass.) followed with a pinch-hit walk, putting runners on first and second.

Neidel moved the runners up to second and third after a ground out to the right side, then Martin punched a single to left to score both Burnett and Faulkner to bring the tying run to the plate. Rhodes reliever Reid Lampert (Williamsburg, Va.) was able to force a pop up to end the game. 

Ryan Donahue (Medfield, Mass.) got the start for Westfield, taking the loss after 4.1 innings of work. Colby Slaughter (Orlando, Fla.) picked up the victory for Rhodes after four innings, allowing two runs.

Marshall has put together a solid spring break trip at the dish, tallying three home runs and eight RBI over his last five games. He has recorded at least one RBI in all five of those games as well. Martin racked up three hits out of the leadoff spot, with Devin Slattery (Ware, Mass.) and Burnett also generating multi-hit performances. 

Westfield State has one game remaining on their spring break trip as the Owls will play against Ripon College tomorrow at 3:30 P.M. EST/ 2:30 P.M. CST from USA Stadium Complex in Millington, Tenn.