BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - A slow start to the day for the Panther offense ended with the team putting up 19 runs and 23 hits in their two win against Millsaps. The Panthers came from behind to win game one 10-4. They carried that momentum over to the second game and won 9-7 in game two.
Game one
The first two innings of the game were filled with base runners, but neither team could drive in more than one run in the innings. In the two innings Millsaps and Birmingham-Southern combined to leave seven runners on base. At the end of two full innings the game was tied 2-2.
Following the second inning both pitchers settled in and threw two scoreless innings. After
Josh Leerssen recorded two quick outs, and what looked to be another scoreless inning for the Panther pitcher, Millsaps took advantage of two walks. The Majors pushed across two runs to take a 4-2 after a two-RBI single up the middle.
Preston Jenkins relieved Leerssen after the two walks and was able to get the final out of the inning.
Andrew Dutton led off the bottom half of the inning with a single and later got around to third on two wild pitches by the Millsaps pitcher.
Cole Steadman then drove in Dutton on a ground out to first base. At the end of five innings BSC trailed Millsaps 4-3.
Jenkins went out for another two inning of work and recorded a scoreless sixth and seventh inning.
Davis Williams came on to relieve Jenkins and he followed suit throwing a scoreless eighth and ninth inning. The Panthers scored seven runs over the next three innings to win the game 10-4. Four of the seven runs came via the long ball. Both
Noah Best and
Cole Steadman hit a two-run homerun to power the Panthers past Millsaps in game one.
Pitching decisions
WIN: Preston Jenkins (2-0)
LOSS: Ryan Erwin (5-1)
Game two
The Panthers carried that offensive momentum over to the second game and scored in all but one inning in the game. BSC took a 9-3 lead into the last inning, but Millsaps fought back and brought the go-ahead run to the plate in the seventh inning.
The BSC offense got to work right away after a scoreless first inning throw by
Ricky Harrison. The first three batters for the BSC offense reached base. With the bases loaded and no outs in the game the Panthers were looking for a big inning to open up the game. Unfortunately,
Ian Hancock lined into a double play and quickly there were two outs in the inning.
Jack Fleming and
Brian Williams both singled to bring in two runs and give BSC an early 2-0 lead. Birmingham-Southern followed that up scoring one run in the second and third inning and took a 4-0 lead to the top of the fourth.
Ricky Harrison threw five scoreless innings, striking out four batters and picking up his second win of the season. In the fourth inning the Panthers broke the game open scoring four runs and taking a commanding 8-0 lead. Three runs came on a
Jack Fleming homerun to left center field. The homerun woke Millsaps up and they responded with three runs in the top of the fifth to cut into the BSC lead. The Panthers got one of the three runs back in the bottom of the fifth on a
Cole Steadman double.
Hansen McCown sent the Majors down in order in the sixth before he was relieved by
Braden Williams in the seventh. Williams got two quick outs, but Millsaps rallied with two outs again and put up four runs in the inning. Three runs came off a BSC error in the outfield cutting the Panther lead to 9-7. Millsaps had the tying run on first base but got the hitter at the plate to foul out and end the game.
Pitching decisions
WIN: Ricky Harrison (2-2)
LOSS: Chambers McGilberry (3-3)
Records
#2 Birmingham-Southern 17-5 Overall (6-2 SAA), Millsaps 13-11 Overall (3-5 SAA)
News and notes
> BSC is 5-1 against Millsaps in their last six meetings.
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Noah Best and
Andrew Dutton each have 10 multi-hit games on the season.
> Best has nine extra-base hits in his last 10 games.
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Josh Leerssen has six or more strikeouts in five of his six starts.
Up next
BSC will play their series finale against Millsaps tomorrow, March 27. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Striplin Field.
