The softball team lost their sixth straight during a home doubleheader game against non-conference opponent, Cal State San Marcos’ Cougars. Despite this, the Eagles (7-11) are back tied in the fourth place spot with archrival APU (7-11) in GSAC standings due to APU’s two losses to Vanguard this week.
Although the Cougars were about 100 miles away from home, they did not shy away from the plate as three Cougar players went yard. Senior Erica Coelho sent a towering two-run homerun over left field fence, in the first game, to take the lead in the second inning. In the sixth inning, sophomore Ciera Ashman crossed home off a double down right field by junior Lauren Nelson giving the Cougars a much needed insurance run.
The Eagles fought back in bottom half of the inning with a double by senior starting pitcher, Lyndsie Roberts, who pitched the whole game and allowed only three runs off five hits. Her two RBI were not enough for Biola as they were unable to gain another run ending the game by a score of 3-2. In the following game, the Eagles placed junior pitcher Kristin Larson on the mound.
In the second inning, Nelson sent the Cougars’ second team home run over right center field. Eagles’ junior Sara Smith knocked in one run in the following inning and senior Krista Johnson sliced a ball down left field to give Biola their go ahead run. However, their lead was short lived as sophomore Alyssa Dronenburg, mirrored Nelson’s home run by hitting a solo blast over left field fence putting her team back in the game. It was all Cougars from then on as three more runs put the final score at 5-2. Larson allowed three earned runs in five innings.
During last weekend the Eagles were unfortunately knocked off by CBU twice at home in a double header given Biola their current losing streak.
Starting pitcher for Biola, Roberts, allowed two unearned runs, which came in the top of the second inning. An error in foul territory caused the defending champs to take advantage as a single up the middle by senior Sarah Hurlbut began a damaging rally. This was followed by another solid single by sophomore Tina Galinato which moved over Hurlbut into scoring position, and eventually she advance to third base. Both Hurlbut and Galinato ended up scoring the only two runs of the game.
In the second game, Biola’s starter Larson was put to work with three runs in the top of the first inning and 10 runs in the next. The Lancers’ bats were red hot as they launched two home runs in the game which included a grand slam in the second inning. The Eagles tenacity to fight back showed up in the fourth inning when junior Jillian Storm and Johnson stepped on home plate to score two earned runs stopping the ensuing shutout by No. 1 CBU.
Roberts (9-10) ended her recent starts with an impressive nine strikeouts; however the second go to pitcher Larson (8-9) might be slightly struggling as she received 12 earned runs off of 11 hits in her last two starts for Biola.
Although the softball team was swept by both CBU (No. 1 in GSAC) and Cal State San Marcos (No. 16 in NAIA), it might be better prepared for the reminder of the season as as it goes against APU this Saturday in an attempt to steal the fourth place spot.
