Stephen Gaylor led Berry's 13-hit attack with three hits and Christian Champion and Brandyn Jackson drove in two runs apiece as Berry defeated Birmingham-Southern 10-7 on a cold and windy day at Berry's William R. Bowdoin Field Saturday.

On a day in which temperatures dropped below freezing, wind chills dipped near the teens and light snow flurries fell, the Berry jumped out of the box with a 5-0 lead after plating four runs in the opening frame and a fifth in the second inning.

The lead grew to as much as 9-1 before Birmingham-Southern mounted a comeback bid in the late innings.

Gaylor, Berry's lightning fast leadoff hitter, scored three times, while TC Boyd, Champion and Jackson each had a pair of hits.

The Vikings (3-2) finished with 13 hits overall, three more than the Panthers. 

Bruce Maxwell led Birmingham-Southern (0-2) at the plate with a 3-for-4 performance, while David Bourbannais and Evan Grovenstein drove in two runs each for the Panthers.

Berry starter Casey Gray (1-0) earned the victory, allowing three runs on three hits and four walks while striking out five batters in 5.1 innings of work.

Gray was replaced by Levi Austin with one out in the sixth inning. Austin would go on to finish the game and earn his first save. He allowed four runs (three earned) on seven hits and four walks in 3.2 innings. Austin fanned six batters.

Birmingham-Southern starter Blake Stevens (0-1), the first of four pitchers used in the game by the Panthers, took the loss.  He allowed six runs (four earned) in four innings of work.

The Vikings are scheduled to return to action Feb. 18, when they host a doubleheader against Berea at 1 p.m.

- BerryVikings.com -