BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Keydets loaded the bases in the ninth inning, but Will Stroup worked out of the jam to record his fourth save and preserve a 5-2 Birmingham-Southern win over VMI on Sunday at Striplin Field. The win evens the series at one game apiece, following VMI's 13-1 series-opening win on Saturday night.

Klint Reed walked and B.T. Good singled to start the VMI (25-15, 6-8 Big South) ninth and chase BSC (20-17, 8-3 Big South) starter David Horne from the game. Chase Buchanan was hit by a pitch to load the bases and pinch hitter Michael Roberts reached on a fielder's choice that allowed Good to score. That was as close as VMI would get as Stroup got a fly out and pop up in foul territory to end the game.

Horne (6-2) struck out six in eight innings of work, allowing two runs on five hits to earn the win and help the Panthers even the series.

BSC scored single runs in the second and third innings and two in the sixth to build a 4-0 lead. Brint Hardy's RBI bunt single scored Blake Burton in the second and Allen Aubin's sac-fly scored Mark Goforth in the third. Matt Barber, who was 3-for-3 on the day, had a two-run double in the sixth that scored Brandon Hynick and Casey Bond.

The Keydets got on the board in the seventh to cut the BSC lead to 4-1. Buchanan singled home Good, who had a two-out double.

BSC expanded the lead to 5-1 in the eighth, when Burton walked and came home on a Hardy single.

Trey Barham (6-3) took the loss for VMI, giving up four runs on six hits with three strikeouts in 5.2 innings pitched.

BSC and VMI play the rubber game of the series at 4 p.m. on Monday.