NEED TO KNOW:
Score: Piedmont 5, Rhodes 5
Records: Piedmont, 3-2-1; Rhodes, 2-2-1

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Saturday's contest for Piedmont baseball marked a first as they were forced into a 5-5 tie with Rhodes due to impending darkness. The end of the ninth came less than 20 minutes before sunset and Mother Nature was declared the winner. 

The 5-5 tie marks the only tie in Piedmont's NCAA Era history. The game was unable to be completed Sunday due to previously scheduled tournament action. 

Rhodes took an early 1-0 lead in the second but in the third, CARTER BALLSTADT hit a deep 3-RBI homer for his fourth homerun of the season giving Piedmont a 3-1 lead. 

The Lynx managed to come back and tie the contest in the bottom of the frame and took the lead in the fourth 4-3. BODIE EILERTSON earned the start for Piedmont going four innings before giving way to NATHAN BOYCE.

Boyce again was magnificent on the mound pitching 1.2 innings allowing just one hit and striking out two. Boyce posts a 1.59 ERA over his work this season. 

The Lions took the lead in the sixth inning capitalizing on a timely error. Piedmont led off with back-to-back singles then an error on a bunt by DUKE WODETZKI tied the game at four. A sac-fly by JAMES WHITMER drove in CONNER JELLEY for Piedmont to lead 5-4.

ETHAN LAIL started the seventh but after a pair of walks was replaced by HARRISON TRAWICK. The Lynx were able to score the tying run in the bottom of the seventh and that was where the scoring halted. 

Trawick was the final pitcher for the Lions tossing three innings allowing no runs and just four hits to 13 batters faced. In the ninth, the Lynx threatened for a walkoff getting a runner to third with no outs, but Trawick tagged him out at home on a fielder's choice later in the frame to keep the tie in tact. 

Up next, Piedmont will take on Concordia University Chicago at 11:30 a.m. Sunday.

TURNING POINT:
--Mother Nature and the lack of field lights proved to be what sealed the fate of a tie for these two teams. 

STANDOUT PERFORMANCES:
--CARTER BALLSTADT hit his fourth homerun of the season as part of a 4-for-5 evening with three RBI and a run scored. 
--HARRISON TRAWICK kept the Lynx in check over the final three innings and was set to be the pitcher of record when the game was called. 

HOW TO FOLLOW:
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