The No. 16 Biola softball team hosted No. 8 California State University-San Marcos for their second doubleheader of the season on March 28. The Eagles split games with the Cougars earlier this season, but were able to sweep with the home field advantage.
Biola scored first in the opening game when senior shortstop Sarah Stromwell hit an RBI double in the second inning. The Eagles added to their lead in the third when singles by sophomore outfielder Kasey Hormel and senior second baseman Ashley Spadt drove in three runs. After two silent innings, the Eagles extended their lead in their last at bat. Freshman first baseman Selina Sherlin and Hormel both drove in a run with a singles hit up the middle of the field. Biola won the game 6-0.
Senior right-handed pitcher Reba DePriest pitched her third complete game shutout of the season for the Eagles. DePriest struck out 13 of the 28 batters faced, and improved her season record to 15-3.
The second game proved much closer for the Eagles. A RBI double by junior third baseman Heather Hall, followed by a home run over the left field fence by Sherlin resulted in 4-0 lead by the Eagles after the first. San Marcos answered quickly with three runs of their own in the second inning. Junior catcher Bria Madrid followed with a solo home run. Biola led 5-3 after two innings.
“Coach Lorie just pretty much came to us and said, win or lose we want to go out with a fight, so I want you guys to give it all you got and no matter what we’re not going down without a fight," Hall said. "We weren’t hitting for ourselves and that’s how we scored the runs.”
The Cougars took the lead by in the fourth inning after scoring four runs, and added another run in the top of the sixth to hold a 8-5 lead. In what proved their last at bat, the Eagles strung together a four score run to win the game. Senior outfielder Brooke Madrid drove in the first run with an RBI double to left center. The Madrid sisters tied the game when they both made it home safely on a throwing error made by San Marcos. The winning run came by an RBI single hit by Sherlin. Biola won 9-8.
Biola now holds a season record of 26-10 while being 10-4 in conference. Their next games are against Azusa Pacific University on April 2. APU currently sits 22-19 on the season and beat Biola twice last season.
