Division III school advances to College World Series days before it ceases operations

The Birmingham-Southern College baseball team has advanced to the College World Series – but by the time they play in it, the school will no longer exist.

On March 26, the school announced they would “cease operations” on May 31 after the school “failed to win sufficient support in the Alabama House of Representatives.”

The school had been trying for a year-and-a-half to “obtain bridge funding from a $30 million state loan program conceived and enacted to save” the school, which opened in 1856.

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The board of trustees then voted unanimously to close the college.

Well, less than a week before the school will be closed, the Panthers punched their ticket to Eastlake, Ohio, where the final eight teams will be vying for the national title.

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Birmingham-Southern is 32-14 thus far, having earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Regional tournament – after winning their three games there, they advanced to Super Regionals, where they stayed hot, won both games, and advanced to the College World Series.

The bracket is double-elimination that begins on Friday, the same day the school is set to close its doors.

“Campus may be closing but the story is still to be written,” the school’s athletic department wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Saturday.

It’s been a roller coaster season for Birmingham-Southern, which started off 7-1, but then lost six of their next eight. After .500 ball in their following eight contests, they then won 13 of their next 14, including nine straight, before getting swept in two games in their own conference tournament.

However, their strength of schedule got them the at-large bid, and they’ve taken advantage of the opportunity, winning all five of their NCAA tournament games.

Their opponent is to be determined, but it’s all about getting hot at the right time. Given their 18-3 record in their last 21 games, and a large chip on their shoulder, no one should want to play these guys. 

The school last appeared in the CWS in 2019, losing the final to Chapman.