BIRMINGHAM, Alabama - Birmingham-Southern College (BSC), ranked No. 4 in the country, built a 5-0 lead after three innings and wouldn't trail in a 13-5 victory over the Wilmington College baseball team on Saturday afternoon.

The Panthers struck for two runs on two hits off Quaker starter David Ernst in the first inning. After a scoreless inning from both sides in the seventh, a three-run, four hit inning ended Ernst's afternoon with the hosts up 5-0.

Wilmington could not solve BSC starter Josh Leerssen, who struck out nine and scattered five hits with no earned runs through seven innings. The Panthers, who blew the game wide open with a seven-run seventh inning, gave up four runs on three Quaker hits in the eighth and a bases-loaded walk with two outs in the top of the ninth. A Dominic Depa groundout ended the game.

Ernst took the loss for the Quakers, allowing four earned runs on six hits with three walks and three strikeouts in three innings. Five other Quakers pitched in relief with Hayden Wibbeler pitching the final 1.2 innings with two strikeouts and no hits. 

Both Ian Hancock and Wesley Diamantis both had two hits and drove in a combined seven runs for Birmingham-Southern while Jesse Reliford and Evan Eilerman both had three-hit contests for Wilmington.

The Quakers will close out their trip to Alabama with a noon (EST) contest against DePauw University (Indiana) on Sunday.