BIRMINGHAM, Alabama - March 11, 2006 - Birmingham Southern scored two runs in the top of the eighth inning to edge Kennesaw State, 5-3, in the final game of pool play in the 2006 Leigh's Athletic Ware Panther Spring Classic hosted by Birmingham Southern University on Saturday night.

With the international tie-breaker in effect, Birmingham Southern's Blaes Schmissrauter was put on second and promptly stole third base. A single by Jennifer Wellborn put BSC (16-4) up 4-3 and with two outs, Kayla Backlund doubled to left center field to make the score 5-3.

The Owls (16-11) went down without a rally in the bottom of the eighth inning as Kristina Villavicencio struck Warren, Chelce Culberson and Malcom to end the game.

The Owls fought back from a 3-1 deficit, scoring solo runs in the bottom of the fourth inning and again in the bottom of the seventh inning. However, the Owls could not capitalize on their opportunity to win the game in the seventh.

Amanda Malcom led off the bottom of the seventh inning with a double and after a pair of infield hit loaded the bases, Keri McKee singled through the left side, tying the game at three. Kennesaw State was in position to win their fourth game of the tournament as Cambria McKay and Jen Nolan were due to face Villavicencio. The Miners reliever struck out McKay and got Nolan to pop out to Brooke Miller to end the threat and send the game to extra innings.

The Owls scored first on the heels of a pair of errors by Miller and Raquel Sanfield ion the third inning. However the lead was short lived as UTEP knocked around Lisa Lamb for three runs in the top of the fourth.

With one out H. Fox singled through the right side a walk to Sanfield followed, one of five walks issued by Lamb on the day. An error by Malcom loaded the bases and Muelenfield singled to left to make the score, 2-0. A wild pitch brought in the final run of the inning and chased Lamb.

Three consecutive hits in the bottom of the fourth inning helped bring the Owls to within a run. McKay, Nolan and Jacki Warren each singled and Malcom followed with a fielder's choice, bringing home McKay with the Owls second run of the night.

The championship round begins tomorrow with the Owls taking on Texas El-Paso in the first semifinal at 11:00 a.m. central standard time.