Andrew Pendleton had a bases-clearing double to give Berry life, but the Vikings fell in the opener of a Southern Athletic Association baseball series at No. 4 Birmingham-Southern, 13-6, Friday night in Birmingham, Ala.

The Vikings (25-13, 13-6) found themselves behind early as back-to-back solo homers off BSC bats made it 2-0 after an inning. The struggles continued one inning later as the Panthers (28-7, 15-3) tacked on two more runs to double their lead.

John Poist heled the Vikings chip away at the lead as his two-out single scored Spence Johns in the fourth to make it 4-1. The long ball would bite the Vikings again in the bottom of the inning, though, as a two-run blast capped a three-run inning for the Panthers, making it 7-1.

The best inning at the plate for BC came in the fifth when four runs crossed the plate. The Vikings mounted a two-out rally, with Spence Johns bringing home Zachary Hardee with the first run of the frame on an RBI single. After Wesley Wade reached on an interference call to load the bases, Pendleton ripped a double to the fence in center, scoring Wade, Johns, and Jack Poist to make it a 7-5 game. The Vikings had a crack at a 7-6 score, but Pendleton was thrown out at home trying to score on a John Poist single to right.

Momentum would quickly tilt back to the home side in the bottom of the inning, as three runs came across to make it 10-5. Three more runs came home in the seventh for BSC to make it a 13-5 game, with the Vikings getting a consolation run in the ninth on a Jack Poist RBI single to score Ronnie Caricofe.

Ethan Crump took the loss on the mound for the Vikings, going an inning-plus on the bump and allowing four runs.

The two teams will be back in action Saturday for a doubleheader to close the regular season. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. EDT.