BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The No. 3-ranked Birmingham-Southern baseball team held on to beat Covenant College 7-6 at Striplin Field on Tuesday night.

After a rocky top of the first inning that saw the Panthers give up three runs to the Scots, BSC took the lead with a big four-run half-inning of its own. 'Southern then added single runs in the second, fourth, and eighth innings.

Covenant made it interesting in the top of the ninth, scoring two runs to cut BSC's lead to one run. The Scots had the tying run on third base with just one out, but on a pop up to shallow center, the runner left the bag assuming the ball would drop. Shortstop Alfredo Granier (Atlanta, Ga./Holy Innocents Episcopal) made the catch and ended the game, firing the ball to third baseman Brian Williams (Marietta, Ga./Lassiter HS) for the force out and the double play.

Junior southpaw Palmer Steventon (Chattanooga, Tenn./Lipscomb) got the start on the mound for the Panthers and pitched two innings before making way for sophomore righty Oliver Livingston (Decatur, Ga./Decatur HS). Livingston pitched the next five innings to earn the win, allowing one unearned run off just three hits. Senior Robbie Lively (Helena, Ala./Southern Union) came in during the ninth inning and earned the save, his first of the season.

At the plate, the Panthers were led by senior outfielder Cory Price (Hoover, Ala./Alabama-Huntsville), whose two-run double in the first gave BSC the lead. He finished 2-of-4 at the plate, as did freshman outfielder Will Lantis (Marietta, Ga./Pope HS), who had two runs scored in the game.

With the win, the Panthers improve to 8-1 this season. Birmingham-Southern will travel to Huntingdon for its next game on Wednesday, Feb. 26. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.