April 18, 2008

One thing is for certain when the Majors step out on Millington’s USA Field on Friday at 11 a.m., win two games over the course of three days and their season continues. Lose a pair and the season is over, just like that.

Friday’s opening game will be the 133rd meeting (a few years uncertain) all-time between Millsaps and Rhodes, with the Majors holding an 83-47-2 edge in the series and winning 18 of the last 22 dating back to 2004. The rivalry began back on April 21, 1950, when Rhodes, then known as Southwestern at Memphis, defeated Millsaps 14-13.

Millsaps enters the best-of-three series with a 24-15 overall mark, finishing regular season, conference play at 8-8 to earn a No. 3 seed in this weekend’s Divisional Playoff. Its opponent, 21st-ranked Rhodes College, enters the set at 26-11 overall and 10-5 in league play and will carry the East’s No. 2 seed.

The Majors and Lynx have met only once this season, at the inaugural Wilson/DeMarini Classic in Jackson, with Millsaps winning 8-2 behind freshman Aaron Williams and junior Hunter Owen. Making his first career start, Williams tossed 5.0 solid innings of 1-hit ball and struck out six to earn the win and pave the way for a Jason Riggins save, while Owen launched a pair of solo home runs in the second and seventh to pace the Majors’ bats.

Millsaps and Rhodes were scheduled to play on March 7 in Memphis for their second matchup of the season, along with Wabash (Ind.), but the trip was cancelled due to mixed sleet and snow in the surrounding area and was instead pushed to Jackson. The Majors, however, only played one game at Twenty Field against the Little Giants, winning 3-1 despite getting out-hit 8-3 in the contest.

Winners of 11 of its last 15, Rhodes enters Friday’s game with a well-balanced attack on offense and defense, ranking second in the league in hitting (.319) behind Trinity and first in the league in pitching with a team ERA of 4.24.

The Lynx are led by sophomore Brandon Valentine who is batting .393 from the plate in 16 starts, followed by senior Richard Hurd who has played and started in all 37 games and is batting .384. Five other everyday starters are batting above .300, including Brent Lindsey (.363) who is leading the team in RBIs with 45 (third in the SCAC) and ranks second in total bases with 71. Mason Mosby is tied for second in the league in stolen bases, swiping 23 in 27 attempts.

On the bump, junior Andy Holt leads the team with a 2.84 ERA and a 6-4 record, tossing three complete games to go along with two shutouts. He also leads the team in innings pitched (66.2) and strikeouts (46). Seniors Chris Catalanatto (5-0, 3.38 ERA) and reigning back-to-back SCAC Pitcher of the Year, Robert Flanagan (4-2, 3.43 ERA) follow closely behind and are very productive in addition to Holt.

Winners of 7 of its last 11, Millsaps steps on the diamond with the league’s fourth-best team ERA (4.97), while ranking an unusual ninth in the standings in hitting. The Majors are swinging just .288 from the plate this season with a handful of new faces, after ranking in the Top 3 in the SCAC the previous four seasons. That doesn’t mean that they aren’t dangerous from the plate this season, Millsaps is still averaging 8.7 hits and 8.1 rpg.

Junior Hunter Owen has carried the big bat for the Majors a second-straight season, leading the team in batting average (.359), runs (48), home runs (12, first in SCAC), total bases (92), walks (36) and stolen bases (21-for-22). Senior shortstop Hunter Abrams has been a solid leader as well for Millsaps, not just this season, but every season since he stepped on the field as a freshman in 2005. The same can be said for DH Derrik Boland.

Abrams ranks second on the team in batting average at .352, while leading the troops in at-bats (165), hits (58) and RBIs (44). He is currently riding a 6-game hitting streak and is just five hits shy of moving into second all-time on Millsaps’ career hits list. Boland is a .305 lifetime hitter and is batting .302 this year with seven home runs - he hit just seven his first three seasons with the Majors.

On the mound, senior southpaw Travis Bogue (7-3, 4.10 ERA) leads the team in wins and has matched his totals from a year ago, while frosh Williams carries a team-best 3.40 ERA to go along with a 4-2 record and two saves. Junior leftyTait Hendrix (5-3, 3.43 ERA) will get the nod on Friday, while Williams will earn the start on Saturday. A versatile player who is used as an outfielder, pinch runner and weekend starter, Hendrix has been consistent from the stretch, tossing a team-best 56 strikeouts and 60.1 innings and holding opponents to a .229 average. Hendrix has recorded seven or more strikeouts in 6 of 10 starts this season.

The series should be a good one and just might go the full three games. Friday and Saturday’s first pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m. with weather permitting, while Sunday’s game time (if necessary) is TBA. The winner advances to the SCAC Baseball Tournament April 25-27 in Danville, Ky.