Opening round recap: softball one away from world series

Women’s softball continues to battle for the NAIA National championship title.

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Karin Jensen

| Karin Jensen/THE CHIMES

Laurie Bullock, Writer

The softball team cheers their teammate on from the dugout earlier this year. The Eagles are one game away from making it to the NAIA Softball World Series for the first time in program history. | Karin Jensen/THE CHIMES [file photo]

 

For the first time since 2001, Biola’s softball team made it to the NAIA National Opening round.

WORTH THE WAIT

After waiting for 10 days for the news that they had made it to the opening round, the Eagles went into the Reinhardt tournament in Waleska, GA proving they deserved to be there.

Biola’s first game in the double elimination style tournament was against Taylor University.

The game remained scoreless until the top of the fourth inning. Sophomore outfielder Makenzie Margo singled up the middle to bring home junior outfielder Brooke Madrid. Biola took advantage of Taylor’s pitching and fielding errors to surge ahead 3-0.

Later on in the sixth inning Luster singled to bring home Margo for the Eagles’ final run of the game.

The Eagles’ defense completely shut down Taylor and prevented them from ever scoring a run to end the first game 4-0.

The next day Biola went up against Reinhardt University. Biola was tied at one with Reinhardt going into the fifth inning. However, the tie was short lived as Reinhardt put up two big hits to take the lead 6-1.

FIGHT TO THE FINISH

The Eagles were not phased by Reinhardt’s quick lead and answered back with four runs of their own to decrease the lead to one.

Unfortunately, the runs were not enough and Reinhardt put up four more runs in the sixth inning. The Eagles were only able to produce one run and dropped to Reinhardt 10-6.

Biola turned around a few hours later to play Taylor for the second time. Taylor was the first to score in the first inning, however the Eagles regained the lead and finished the game 4-1.

The Eagles will face off against Reinhardt on May 14 to decide who will move onto the NAIA Softball World Series.

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