BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Birmingham-Southern baseball team defeated Millsaps in game two of the 2022 Southern Athletic Association Championship 8-3 to win their fifth SAA tournament title. 

Much like game one the Panthers got on the board first, again in the opening inning. A two-out triple by Ian Hancock brought Andrew Dutton around to score to give BSC a 1-0 lead. Millsaps was held scoreless by Carter Tyus for the first three innings of the game. The Majors were able to get two off of him in the fourth inning to take a lead, but it would not last long. The Panthers tied the game up in the bottom half of the inning after Alfredo Granier singled up the middle to bring in the tying run.

The Panthers scored five runs over the next three innings to take a 7-2 lead. The offense was powered by Ian Hancock who blasted two home runs. He hit a solo shot in the fifth and a two-run homer in the seventh. Both the teams scratched one run across in the eighth before Davis Williams closed out the ninth and helped the Panthers to their fifth SAA Tournament Championship by a score of 8-3.

Four Panthers were awarded All-Tournament team. Those four student-athletes are listed below:
Cole Steadman
Joey White
Ian Hancock
Andrew Dutton - Most Outstanding Player

Pitching decisions
WIN: Connor Adams (4-1)
LOSS: Ryan Erwin (7-2)

Records
Birmingham-Southern 38-8 (18-3 SAA), Millsaps 24-21 (11-10 SAA)

News and notes
> Brian Williams recorded his 200th career hit in the game. 
> Four of the five pitchers used in the two games were freshmen. 
> The win clinches the automatic bid to the NCAA Baseball Championships for Birmingham-Southern.

Up next
The Panthers will await the NCAA Selection Show on Monday, May 16 to see their regional opponents.