BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Top seed and No. 3/3 Birmingham-Southern (Ala.) won its pod by defeating No. 5 seed Hendrix twice Saturday by scores of 8-4 and 9-3 at Striplin Field in the Southern Athletic Association (SAA) Tournament. 

Hendrix (29-15) has posted the second most wins in program history, one shy of the mark of 30 from 2019.

In game one, the Warriors erased a 2-0 deficit with RBI singles by Joseph Watts and Adam Bland in the top of the fourth and fifth innings, respectively. However, Birmingham-Southern (36-8) regained the lead for good with three runs in the bottom of the fifth, starting with a Noah Best RBI single to second.

Juan Pablo Leon (1) took Davis Williams deep to right for a solo shot in the sixth to cut Hendrix's deficit to 5-3, but the Panthers countered with a solo dinger to right in the seventh by Cole Steadman (11) and added two runs in the eighth.

A Bland RBI ground out in the ninth cut his team's deficit in half, but Hendrix would get no closer.

Birmingham-Southern's Will Lantis was 2-for-4 at the plate. Best drove in two. Steadman and Andrew Dutton each scored twice.

Williams (5-1) pitched 4.2 innings out of the bullpen, allowing two earned runs on six hits with five strikeouts and a walk.

Leon was 3-for-4 at the plate. Bland plated two. Owen Shaw had a double and was plunked.

Andrei Stoyanow (4-2) pitched 5.1 innings for the Warriors, giving up five runs, four earned, on five hits with four strikeouts and three walks. Will Graves threw 0.2 innings of perfect relief.

Each team committed two errors.

In game two, the Panthers jumped out to an 8-0 advantage, including a seven-run second inning. 

Hendrix trailed by nine down to its final three outs when the first five batters in the half-inning reached base. Drake Job got his team on the board with a RBI single to right center, scoring Rail Gilliam. Leon scored on a fielder's choice by Jacob Carpentier. Job scored in the next at-bat off a Tyler Webb sacrifice fly to left.

Ian Hancock was 3-for-4 with two RBIs. Austin Gentry drove in three. 

Birmingham-Southern's Oliver Livingston (3-0) pitched six innings, allowing one hit with four strikeouts, two walks and a hit batter.

Job, Leon, Zach Marriott and Rally Miller each had a base hit. Leon, Shaw and Carpentier each drew a walk.

The Warriors David Blackburn (5-4) gave up seven runs, six earned, on seven hits with a strikeout in one inning pitched. Cade McWilliams allowed just two hits with a strikeout and two walks in 3.1 innings of relief.