MILLINGTON, Tenn.—With an impressive 21-4 win against Millsaps today, the Birmingham-Southern baseball team won the 2012 SCAC title in its first year of post-season eligibility at the NCAA Division III level.

The Panthers move to 35-7 and will receive the SCAC's automatic bid to the NCAA post-season. NCAA regional play will begin on May 16.

Millsaps went up 1-0 in the top of the first inning before BSC exploded for eight runs in the bottom of the first and never looked back. The Panthers scored all of the rest of their runs over the next four innings and led 21-3 after five complete innings. The Majors added one more run in the top of the sixth.

BSC recorded 22 total hits, led by sophomore Austin Justice who was 4-5 at the plate with four RBI. Junior Bruce Maxwell led with six RBI and was 2-6, while junior Stephen Dentonand freshman Trey Chambers were both 3-4 and senior Jon Walker was 3-5.

Both teams utilized six of its pitchers. Senior Jesse Meier started for BSC, but sophomore Miles Nordgren got the win, coming in for 2.2 innings and recording four strikeouts with one hit allowed to move to 9-2 on the season. Freshman Ryan Hawks, sophomore Ethan Wilkinson, and freshmen Ben Hession and Will Fagan also saw action, each throwing one of the last four innings. Overall the pitching staff racked up 10 strikeouts while giving up nine hits and three earned runs.

The Panthers will return home this Tuesday, May 1, to play a make-up game against regional opponent Emory at 6 p.m. at Striplin Field.