BIRMINGHAM, Ala.—The seventh-ranked Birmingham-Southern baseball team remained undefeated on Saturday, moving to 14-0 on the season for the best start in program history, with two wins against Covenant College (7-9) at home on Striplin Field. The Panthers won by the scores of 6-1 and 6-2.
BSC put up two runs in both the second and third innings, with the second-inning runs coming when sophomore Sam Roberts scored on a wild pitch and then when sophomore Jack Rhodesscored on a double play turned by the Scots. In the third an RBI single down the left field line by senior Jacob Mayfield and a Roberts ground-out RBI put BSC up 4-0.
Covenant scored its single run in the top of the fourth, taking advantage of the lone error of the game. The score remained 4-1 until the bottom of the seventh when a Mayfield sacrifice fly-out scored junior Taylor McCracken. A Rhodes RBI double in the bottom of the eighth scored the sixth and final run of the game for the Panthers.
Senior starter Blake Stevens (4-0) picked up the win after throwing six innings and giving up seven hits with eight strikeouts. Juniors Wilson Jamison and Kyle Royalty combined for the last three innings. Roberts and Rhodes were both 3-4 at the plate, and McCracken was 2-3. Mayfield led with two RBI.
In the nightcap, the Panthers scored five of their six runs in the bottom of the first. Three came off a Mayfield home run, his second of the season, while the other two were RBI singles by Roberts and senior Wes Kent.
The Scots put one up in the top of the top of the second, and BSC scored its final run of the game in the bottom of the third on an RBI single by freshman Ross Anderson. The Scots would go on to score once more in the top of the sixth.
Sophomore starter Ryan Gaines (4-0) went four innings and gave up one hit with one strikeout. Five different Panther pitchers threw each of the next five innings, combining to allow only two more hits with five strikeouts. Senior David Bourbonnais threw the final inning, striking out two of the three batters he faced.
McCracken and Mayfield were both 2-4 at the plate, and Mayfield's three RBI was a game high.
The Panthers travel to Auburndale, Fla., this week for spring break, facing William Paterson, Endicott, Rutgers-Camden, and Eastern Connecticut State. BSC is back at home next weekend for a three-game Southern Athletic Association series against Berry College.