MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Mississippi University for Women had a tough go of things on its first day at the Rhodes Invitational, falling to both Austin College, 5-3, and host RC, 4-1. The Owls (5-3) will play the same two teams on Sunday in the tourney finale.
 
MUW managed to out-hit Austin College, 11-8, but it was still not enough. The top half of the Owls batting order did the bulk of the damage, collecting nine of the squad's hits in the Nos. 1-5 spots. Leadoff batter Jessica Deming was one of four MUW players to go 2-for-4 in the game. Deming doubled in both of her at-bats, driving in one run and scoring another.
 
The other Owls with multi-hit games were Emilee Slade, Riley Phillips, and Alysa Newman. Like Deming, Phillips had one run batted in and a run scored to her credit.
 
Down 3-0 after for innings, MUW hopped on the Kangaroos in the top of the fifth to tie the game. Kaitlyn Bearley singled to open the frame and then stole second. Bearley came home on a Deming double. Slade then singled to advance Deming to third, before stealing second, herself.
 
That set the stage or a Phillips RBI single, with Slade stopping at third to make it 3-2. Maiya Joe walked to load the bases. After a force out at the plate, Reagan Newell lifted a sacrifice fly that made it 3-3.
 
However, Owls' reliever Bailey McClellan (1-1) was touched up for a pair of runs in the home half of the fifth for the 5-3 final.
 
In the day's second game versus the Lynx, MUW tallied first, but the hosts would score the most. Deming led off the game with a walk and a stolen base. A Taylor Palmer single moved Deming to third, before eventually coming home on Newman's sacrifice fly.
 
Rhodes tied the game with a run in its half of the first, before providing the margin of victory with three more in the third.
 
From the circle, Avery Byerley (1-1) took the loss. Byerley tossed all seven frames, allowing nine Lynx hits. She struck out two and walked one.