With their backs against the walls representing a school that would no longer exist due to lack of funding, all the Birmingham-Southern Panther baseball team has done is win.

BSC closed the regular season on a nine-game win streak and improved to 14-2 overall since the news broke on March 26 that their school would cease operations on May 31. With another five-game win streak in the NCAA Regional tournament, the Panthers have gone 19-4 to secure their first Super Regional championship and trip to the Division III World Series since 2019.

Now, Birmingham-Southern will open the last tournament of the season on the same day the college will close its doors for good. The No. 7 Panthers are scheduled for a 3:45 p.m. first pitch against the second-seeded Salve Regina Seahawks on Friday, May 31.

If that wasn’t enough, their 7-6 win over Denison on Saturday came mere hours after one-third of the team battled food poisoning from the team meal the previous night. One pitcher had to go to the emergency room and several others received IVs during the game, including the last two relief pitchers that eventually came on to close out the contest.

Familiar face in the bullpen

The entire bullpen was reportedly affected by the food poisoning, including former Fairhope Pirate Ben Hoover who is in his junior season with the squad. Hoover pitched earlier in the regional tournament with two strikeouts in his one inning from the first game against Transylvania.

On the season, he has provided 11.1 innings of work with 13 hits, 6 runs (5 earned) and 5 walks allowed against 12 strikeouts. For his career, Hoover is a two-time Southern Athletic Association Academic Honor Roll selection and has thrown 15.2 innings in 13 appearances with 18 strikeouts against 17 hits and 7 walks with an ERA of 4.60 and an opponent batting average of .270.

Documentary underway

Already sweeping the nation as one of the best stories in college baseball, production has already begun on a documentary following Birmingham-Southern’s postseason run. Jason Sciavicco, the creator/director of series such as “Two-A-Days,” and “Titletown High,” has assembled a crew to document BSC’s run from behind the scenes.

Back on campus at @BSCsports @BSCBaseball for practice 1 of World Series week! Let’s gooooooooo! #AmericasTeam pic.twitter.com/jSqjdyfHuL

— Jason Sciavicco (@JSciavicco) May 27, 2024

The NCAA Division III World Series is a double-elimination bracket with the national championship set for June 6.