GRANVILLE, Ohio (KTRK) -- Birmingham Southern College is shutting down permanently on May 31. The 168-year-old private liberal arts college is closing its doors due to financial issues.
On the same day Birmingham Southern shuts down, the school's baseball program will open play in the Division III World Series.
On Saturday, the Panthers won their fifth straight game and punch a ticket to the World Series where they'll represent a school that no longer operates.
Justin Fox, an Episcopal High School product from Bellaire, is a pitcher for Birmingham Southern - but missed this season with a knee injury. Via Zoom with ABC13, he tries to explain this roller coaster of a few months.
"One of the craziest experiences I've ever been a part of - without a doubt," Fox admitted. "It's a horrible feeling to lose something you really wanted. We wondered if this was it for BSC baseball. For us to keep going, it feels amazing - like a breath of fresh air in this time."
Fox received his degree in finance Friday before joining the team in Ohio on Saturday. He plans to travel with the Panthers to the World Series before returning home to Houston to continue rehabbing his knee and either attend graduate school or start working.
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