The Eagles fought hard, but the game ended with a 7-6 loss against the Vanguard Lions on Monday. Biola's struggle continued the following day with a loss against California State University San Marcos 9-3. The Eagles are now 8-22 overall and and 4-14 in conference play.
On Monday the Lions brought their A-game and put up five runs in the first three innings, which eventually retired junior pitcher Tyler Bernheisel in the third inning. Bernheisel and sophomore pitcher Sean Rothfuss combined pitched five innings with a combined 5 runs and seven hits given up.
Vanguard’s pitcher, Scott Torrey, was fueling the fire for his team as well as he retired eight straight hitters between the second and fifth innings.
In the fifth inning senior first baseman David McNeill was the first to get a hit off Torrey, with his first homerun of the season and putting Biola on the scoreboard. McNeill played strong that afternoon; getting two RBI's and a run scored. On top of that, he was hit by a pitch; making it possible for him to advance further.
Junior Tanner Swire also got a run in the sixth inning.
Though Biola was struggling in the beginning with a score of 5-0, they weren’t ready for the defeat. The Eagles stepped up in the eighth, starting with a single by Michael Annunziata. Immediately after that Boone Farrington doubled through the left side to bring Annunziata home.
McNeill and Luke Klocek were next, each picked up a single, followed by a groundout by Sam Thorne, completing the scoring in the frame and leaving Biola down by one.
Vanguard got their last run in the bottom of the eighth on an insurance run against Sage Poland.
Johnny Farrington got Biola’s last run in the ninth inning, but unfortunately it wasn’t enough and the Eagles lost 7-6.
Things looked promising at the beginning of Biola’s game against San Marcos. The Eagles put up two quick runs in the first inning. However that lead was short lived as San Marcos matched the two runs in the third inning to tie the game.
San Marcos would go on to produce seven more runs in the game. Biola was able to put up one more run in the third inning, but could not produce the runs necessary to win and ended the game 9-3.
The Eagles will host the Master’s College on March 14 starting at 3 p.m.
