EASTLAKE, Ohio — There is indeed crying in baseball, and for Birmingham-Southern, there were plenty of tears of joy, too.
A magnificent, almost magical postseason ended in heartbreak.
More heartbreak.
The Panthers' inspiring run, which came as the liberal arts college in Alabama was being closed for financial failure after more than 160 years, ended Sunday with an 11-10 loss to Wisconsin-Whitewater in the College World Series of Division III.
It was a painful and seemingly unfair ending for a never-say-die team that had lifted up a tight-knit community devastated by the school closure, while capturing the hearts of American sports fans who could relate to the story. of the Panthers, a mix of loss, pain and pride.
“I don't feel sad right now and I mean it,” said coach Jay Weisberg, who took over the BSC program in 2007 and became one of the strongest in the country at the D-III level. “The journey these guys have given me this year has been absolutely incredible.
“What I love is training and these guys have made it a lot of fun.”
Birmingham-Southern built a 10-5 lead in six innings but couldn't defeat Wisconsin-Whitewater, which scored two runs in the seventh, three in the eighth and got a home run from Sam Paden leading off the ninth.
Someone had to be the villain.
When Paden's home run cleared the left field wall, several Birmingham-Southern players stood frozen in disbelief.
After all, there would be no storybook ending.
After briefly gathering his team in the outfield, Weisberg had his players and alumni who had traveled from across the country to see the Panthers one last time line up single file along the third base line.
Together they tipped their caps to the BSC fans in the stadium, a final salute from a team that will never play again. The players then left the field in small groups, holding hands.
The greeting was something Weisberg had planned, a closing-circle moment for him and the players he had touched.
Weisberg managed to maintain his composure through the first part of his press conference before being asked what he hoped Birmingham-Southern's final message would be.
“What a beautiful place it is… it was,” she said before bursting into tears.
It took Weisberg 25 seconds to compose himself before continuing and talking about a school that has defined his life.
“I know a lot of people are proud of their schools, and they should be,” he said. “We're no different than many. But it's such a beautiful place, physically. We have the best sunsets in the world. The message about Birmingham-Southern is that it changed lives. It was a place where people came when they were young and women and were as mature men and women.
“What this nation has seen over these last three weeks and the joy we brought is exactly what this program is: It's toughness, it's championship baseball, great young men. I love that the final chapter of Birmingham-Southern could have ended into the sunset and not many people, other than the graduates or the Birmingham community, would know it.
“But now the nation knows that some very special things happened here.”
The BSC doors officially closed on Friday as the Panthers opened the eight-team double-elimination tournament with a loss to Salve Regina.
“What this nation has seen over these last three weeks and the joy we've brought is exactly what this program is: It's toughness, it's championship baseball, a great young man. I love that the final chapter of Birmingham-Southern has could have finished towards sunset and not many people, other than the graduates or the Birmingham community, would know about it, but now the nation knows that some very special things happened here.
Jay Weisberg, Birmingham-Southern coach
And although they won't return home with a trophy, Birmingham-Southern's players brought joy to a community still struggling with the fact that the school is gone forever.
In March, when the school announced its closure, Weisberg encouraged his players to play freely, and that's what they did.
As Wisconsin-Whitewater stormed back, Weisberg's son, JT, remembered living by his father's words.
“When the game got tough, I wasn't worried about winning or losing,” he said. “I wanted one more night so I could be with everyone. I think the journey we've had over the last three weeks is better than winning a national championship.
“Either way, we will return to campus and we will all have to move and say goodbye to our friends. It is the relationships that last longer than anything we have won in this race or anything we can win.”
“I hope what people have learned from this is the power of people coming together in love.”
