BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Birmingham-Southern baseball team opened up the 2022 Southern Athletic Association Championship Series in a big way, defeating Millsaps 14-4. BSC was powered by three home runs in part to a 20 hit night for the Panthers. 

BSC got on the board in the bottom of the first inning scratching one run across. Millsaps responded in the second inning with four runs to take a 4-1 lead. After giving up four runs in the second Joey White and Hansen McCown held the Majors scoreless the rest of the game. White finished with a stat line of  seven innings pitched, allowing nine hits and striking out four hitters. McCown relieved Joey in the eighth inning and threw two scoreless frames to help seal the Panther victory. 

BSC scored in seven of the eight offensive innings. After falling behind in the second Birmingham-Southern scored 11 runs over the next four innings to take the lead and not look back. The Panthers tied the game up in the bottom of the third with a Cam McNearney two-run home run. The next inning BSC proceeded to score six runs on six hits to take a 10-4 lead. The Panthers did not stop there as they extended their lead the following inning with first a solo home run by Ian Hancock and later a Jack Fleming single to bring Brian Williams home to take a 12-4 lead.

BSC added one run in the seventh and one run in the eighth before McCown recorded the final three outs to give the Panthers a 14-4 victory in game one of the 2022 SAA Championship Series.

Pitching decisions
WIN: Joey White (7-0)
LOSS: Wil Wood (10-3)

Records
Birmingham-Southern 37-8 Overall (18-3 SAA), Millsaps 24-20 (11-10 SAA)

News and notes
> The Panthers currently have three players that have a five or more game hitting streak. 
> Joey White is a perfect 7-0 on the mound this season.
> BSC has won seven of the last eight meetings against Millsaps.

Up next
The Panthers will look to close out the series tomorrow as the two teams will play game two of the Championship Series. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.