MEMPHIS, Tenn. -  The W softball bounced back from a game one loss, 8-4, at Rhodes College to take the second game in come-from-behind fashion, 3-1, and pick up the split. The Owls are 3-1 to open 2025, while the Lynx fell to 1-3.
 
In game one, The W was cruising along with 2-0 lead through 3 ½ innings, thanks to a two-run double off the bat of senior Maiya Joe in the third frame. Joe's hit to right-center plated Emily Slade (1-2, 2 BB) and Riley Phillips (2-3, BB), who had reached on a double and single, respectively.
 
MUW starting pitcher Rylie Grisham (0-1) had worked three scoreless innings. But in the bottom of the fourth, things went south quickly, as the Lynx would erupt for seven runs in the inning, six charged to Grisham and one to reliever Bailey McClellan.
 
Down 7-2, the Owls cut into the deficit in their half of the sixth. A sacrifice fly by Taylor Palmer and bases loaded walk issued to Phillips reduced the margin to 7-4. But MUW would get no closer in dropping its first game of the young season.
 
In game two, it was MUW pitcher Brooklyn Rhodes (1-0) getting the complete-game win versus Memphis' Rhodes (College). The Owls' Rhodes scattered seven hits, permitting just a single earned run in the second inning, to get the victory in her debut for The W. She struck out six Lynx batters and walked just one.
 
But she needed some late-inning magic after MUW's bats fell silent for the first six innings and were down to their last strike in the top of the seventh.
 
Lynzzie Kennedy coaxed a leadoff walk and was sacrificed to second. Pinch-hitter MC Brown then lined to left for the second out of the inning. Palmer followed with a grounder to third that was misplayed to put runners on the corners.
 
Senior catcher Slade (1-4, run, RBI) faced an 0-2 count, before taking two straight balls. On the fifth pitch of her at-bat, Slade slammed a single through the middle of the infield to plate Kennedy and knot the game at 1-1.
 
Phillips (1-3) was then hit by a pitch to load the bases for Joe (1-4). But Joe never even had to lift the bat off of her shoulder, as a wild pitch, and subsequent throwing error by RC's catcher, allowed two runs to score what proved to be the deciding runs for the Owls.
 
In the bottom of the seventh, the Lynx got the tying runs on base via a pair of singles. But Brooklyn Rhodes induced three fly balls to the outfield to end the threat and put the "W" in her team's pocket.
 
The W will next host Covenant College and Millsaps College on Friday and Saturday (Feb. 14-15) in a two-day tourney at Don Usher Field.