Birmingham-Southern stays alive in the DIII College World Series with a 9–7 win

The Birmingham-Southern baseball team kept its unlikely story alive in thrilling fashion. The Panthers live to play at least one more game in the Division III College World Series in Eastlake, Ohio.

First baseman Jackson Webster hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth to give BSC a 9–7 comeback win over Randolph-Macon. The Panthers will play Sunday with another chance to extend their season into Monday’s semifinals.

The Panthers faced the season finale Saturday night with the risk of going home in the double-elimination tournament after losing their Friday night opener to Salve Regina.

“Home” is a complicated concept for Birmingham-Southern, as the college itself closed its doors for good Friday due to financial problems. The baseball team that played after his school’s demise made the Panthers and their postseason a national curiosity.

Unlike Friday night’s game, when the power went out beforehand at Classic Park, forcing Birmingham-Southern and Salve Regina to sing the national anthem themselves on the field, the Panthers turned on the power early.

The Panthers jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning on Webster’s two-run home run off Yellow Jackets pitcher Drew Ramos. Two batters later, right fielder Charlie Banks hit a solo shot.

Facing elimination, Randolph-Macon coach Ray Hedrick pulled Ramos after a rough first inning and brought in William Wian. The sophomore struck out four batters in two innings, but allowed one more BCS run in the third on an RBI double by Banks.

The Yellow Jackets broke through against BSC starter Josh Leerssen in the fifth with an RBI triple by right fielder Eli Brooks. Second baseman Jordan Hill then drove in Brooks to make it a 4–2 ballgame.

In the seventh, Randolph-Mason got a run after Leerssen hit Matt Myers and Grayson Bush with pitches to put them on base. But Brooks helped BSC by pointing a goal attempt. Leerssen then struck out Hill before being replaced by Hansen McCown.

However, McCown gave up an RBI single to Jon Quici and an infield single to Carter Schmitt that drove in the tying run.

Randolph-Mason continued to roll into the eighth. Outfielder Myles Webb led off with a single and eventually moved to third base on a sacrifice bunt by Chaz Harvey and a wild pitch. Myers drove in Webb with a single to give the Yellow Jackets a 5–4 lead.

Jacob Fields relieved Leerssen and then allowed a single to Bush. He then lost control of his pitches and gave up two consecutive runs on wild pitches, extending Randolph-Mason’s lead to 7–4. BSC manager Jan Weisberg stuck with Fields, but the right-hander walked Hill and Quici before being pulled for lefty Charlie Horne.

However, Birmingham-Southern just couldn’t let its postseason run end. Facing reliever Sam Slevin, the Panthers scored two runs after back-to-back singles by Ian Hancock and Banks. Both runners were driven in on a triple by Jakob Zito to make it 7–6. Ty Truett then made a suicide bunt into first base, but Zito was thrown out at home.

Truett ended up scoring the tying run after stealing second base and coming home on a Grant Morgan single. BSC had a chance to take the lead on a single by Parker Ladd, but Michael Shanahan struck out Eli Steadman looking to keep the tie at 7–7 and set up Webster’s ninth-inning heroics.

With the win, the Panthers will face the loser of the game between Salve Regina and Wisconsin-Whitewater on Sunday at 3:00 PM ET in another elimination game. If Birmingham-Southern wins, their postseason will continue on Monday.