BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Birmingham-Southern baseball team defeated Oglethorpe University in game two of the SAA Tournament opening round series on Saturday to advance to the SAA Final Four. 

The first three innings were scoreless with great pitching from both sides. The best chance to score for the Panthers was in the bottom of the first, but the Stormy Petrels got out of a bases loaded jam on a double play to end the inning.

In the top of the fourth, Oglethorpe scored the game's first run on an RBI double deep to right field. They then added a second run on a single to take a 2-0 lead. BSC failed to score in the bottom of the fourth inning but exploded in the bottom of the following inning. Ian Hancock knocked in the first run for the Panthers, and Noah Best then tied the game on a single in the next at-bat. The Panthers then jumped out to their first lead of the day after a three-run blast to right field from Jack Fleming. 

Josh Leerssen faced three batters in the top of the sixth and got three straight outs to end his start. He finished with six innings pitched only allowing four hits and two runs. The Panthers did not add any insurance runs in the remaining three innings, but Hansen McCown was phenomenal in relief allowing no hits and no runs in the final three innings. BSC went on to win game two of the opening series 5-2 to advance to the SAA Final Four. The Panthers will host and play Millsaps on Thursday. 

Records
#1 Birmingham-Southern 33-9, #8 Oglethorpe 7-35

Up next
The Panthers will play the UAB Blazers in Birmingham, Ala. at Rickwood Field in the Rickwood College Classic on Tuesday, May 2 at 1 p.m.