ROME, Ga. – Not even a 40-minute weather delay could derail the Birmingham-Southern baseball team.
The Panthers (25-14) claimed back-to-back Southern Athletic Association championships with the 25-4 victory over No. 13 Berry College Saturday, April 24 at State Mutual Stadium. It's the fourth SAA championship for BSC as the Panthers claimed the championships in 2014, 2016 and 2019. The 2020 SAA Tournament was canceled due to COVID-19 shutdowns.
Birmingham-Southern set a record for its most runs in a SAA Tournament game with the 25 runs. It is also the Panthers' most runs scored in their NCAA Division III era. The previous record of 22 came in the 2018 season-opening 22-11 win over Methodist and with a 22-3 win over Arcadia in 2010.
Berry forced the "if" game with a 14-4 win earlier in the day. Birmingham Southern is now 2-4 against the Vikings this season, winning two of its last three in the six-game total over the last nine days. Birmingham Southern will learn its next opponent as the NCAA Division III selection show is slated for May 23.
Drew Love (Birmingham, Ala./Gardendale) had a career game for the Panthers with career highs in RBI (six), hits (four), and runs scored (three).
Ian Hancock (Roswell, Ga./Pope) was 2-for-5 with one run scored, a home run, and three RBI, while Cole Steadman was 3-for-6 with four runs scored and an RBI. Will Evans (Peachtree City, Ga./Starr's Mill) was 2-for-4 with four runs scored and an RBI, while Brian Williams (Marietta, Ga./Lassiter) was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI.
Hanan Mauldon, 4-2, (Florence, Ala./Florence) picked up the win, allowing one earned run on three hits in 6.1 innings.
Berry scored 11 of their 14 runs with a five-run fourth inning and a six-run seventh to force the winner take all contest.
Noah Best (Carrollton, Ga./Villa Rice) finished 3-for-3 with a double, run scored, and two stolen bases, while Cole Steadman (Birmingham, Ala./Briarwood Christian) added a pair of hits, including a triple, with a run scored and RBI.
Ricky Harrison, 1-2, (Baton Rouge, La./Runnels) allowed six earned runs on five hits in 3.2 innings.