BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Centre baseball suffered another close defeat, falling 4-3 at Birmingham Southern Saturday afternoon at Striplin Field in the first of three in a Southern Athletic Association series.

The second game in Saturday's doubleheader was washed out, meaning the two sides will meet for a twin bill Sunday.

The Colonels (12-17, 4-9 SAA) out-hit the host Panthers (17-13, 7-9), but were done in by a late BSC homerun. 

Birmingham Southern got on the board first in the bottom of the second, getting a solo homer from Ross Anderson to make it 1-0.

Centre's Mason Falbo (Mississauga, Ontario) evened the score the following frame, driving in Drew Schacht (Lexington, Ky.)

The Panthers quickly regained the lead in the third after a pair of RBI singles, but Centre again answered the bell with two runs in the sixth to make it 3-3.

Casey Klein (Louisville, Ky.) crossed on a wild pitch, and Parker Selin (Lexington, Ky.) came in on a sacrifice fly from Chris Esselman (Louisville, Ky.).

With the game tied at three runs apiece in the eighth, BSC's Preston Munns launched a homerun over the left field fence to give the hosts a 4-3 edge.

Austin Sharkey (West Palm Beach, Fla.) began the top of the ninth with a single, but the Colonels couldn't muster the tying run. 

Schacht, Selin and Sharkey each had multiple hits for the Colonels, but the Centre lineup combined to strikeout eight times.

Starter Sam Shelley (Lexington, Ky.) went seven solid innings, allowing three runs and eight hits.

The series concludes Sunday with a doubleheader beginning at 12 p.m. ET.