DANVILLE, Ky. – The Berry College softball team was one strike away from reaching the Southern Athletic Association championship match on Sunday.

BC led 1-0 with a runner on base in the bottom of the seventh inning and two outs.  Alyssa Stath of Birmingham-Southern College, however, hit a 3-2 pitch over the centerfield fence for the 2-1 win.

The game was a scoreless pitcher's duel through six innings. In the top of the seventh, Abby Daniels doubled to lead off the frame. Natalie Boyd later hit a sacrifice fly to right field to score Daniels.

In the bottom of the inning with one out, Panther Taylor Basse walked. Danielle Ruc then flied out to left field for the second out. Viking freshman pitcher Allison Coronado worked the count full before Stath hit the walk-off homer.

Coronado dropped to 10-5 with the defeat. She allowed five hits and struck out three hitters. Panther Bethany Fronk improved to 24-14 and earned the win.

There were just nine hits in the game (four for BC). Berry's Shelby Smith had two singles and was the only player with more than one hit.

BC ends its year at 29-11. In addition to winning the outright SAA regular season championship, the Vikings set a program benchmark for wins.

BSC (27-17) advanced to face Millsaps, unbeaten in the tournament. The Panthers need two wins and the Majors just one to claim the SAA championship.