2007 SCAC Divisional Baseball Tournament

MILLINGTON, Tenn. - Rhodes College drew first blood with a three-run third inning, and that was all starter Chris Catalanotto would need as the Lynx took the third and deciding game of its series with Trinity University, 5-2, Sunday afternoon at USA Millington Field.

Catalanotto, who allowed only four hits and none through the first three innings, improved to 6-1 on the season and, more importantly, led the 30th-ranked Lynx (35-8) to a slot in the SCAC final four in Georgetown, Texas next weekend.

Southwestern University, who also earned a spot, will host Rhodes, Austin College and Millsaps College.

With one out in the third, Rhodes' J.R. Bizzell singled and Mason Mosby followed with a run-scoring double to plate the game's first run. After a walk to Richard Hurd, Daniel Vanaman chased Trinity starter Zach Bukowski with a double down the left field line - scoring Mosby and advancing Hurd to third.

After a walk to Matt Beesley to load the bases and a lineout by Brett Miller, new Trinity pitcher Ryan Poffenroth issued a base on balls to Daniel Killary to plate the third run of the inning for the Lynx.

Trinity answered with a run in the top of the fourth as Nick Vera singled home Bobby Zabor, who had led the inning off with a single of his own.

Rhodes added two more runs in its half of the fifth on three singles by Vanaman, Beesley and Killary.

Trinity's Vera tripled to open the seventh and scored when Ricky Welch hit into a double play to give the Tigers what would prove to be their last run of the game.

Bukowski (1-2) absorbed the loss for Trinity, allowing six hits and three runs in 2.1 innings of work. Poffenroth settled down after allowing two runs in the fifth and worked 4.2 innings.

Bizzell, Mosby and Vanaman had three hits each for Rhodes, who had 12 safeties on the day. Beesley added two hits and Killary drove in two runs.

Vera had two of the Tigers' four hits and scored and drove in a run.