Following a poor showing in the first game of the series on Friday, Biola’s baseball team rebounded in a big way and won both games of the doubleheader against the San Diego Christian Hawks on Saturday. The first game ended in a score of 13-5, seeming payback for Friday’s 17-8 loss. The second game of the day featured 11 hits and 1 error for each team, but Biola converted more of those hits into runs, winning 10-7. With those victories, the Eagles improve to 14-25 in Golden State Athletic Conference play and 20-28 overall.
Biola started scoring runs straight out of the gate in the first game on Saturday, scoring six in the first inning alone. Senior Andy Smith was walked with bases loaded to bring home fellow senior Paul Slater, followed immediately by senior Tanner Swire off of a single from sophomore Jeremy Barth. Junior Andres Rodriguez got in on the action, knocking home junior Julian Jarrard and Smith. Senior Rob Groeschell followed next, getting a double that brought home Rodriguez. The final run of the inning came courtesy of Slater and the Hawks’ right fielder, who committed an error that allowed Groeschell to cross home plate.
SDCU responded in the second and third innings, getting five runs of their own off of freshman pitcher Micah Beyer. Biola took over the rest of the game, however, getting a total of seven additional runs to increase their lead to eight going into the ninth inning. SDCU was unable to find any offense in the ninth, and Biola walked away victorious in the first game.
After a brief break, the teams came back for the second game. They combined for 17 runs and 22 hits for a series total of 60 runs and 85 hits. In the second game, both teams got out to an early start, SDCU scoring three runs and Biola scoring four in the first inning. The most exciting play of the game happened in the second inning, when Jarrard stepped up to bat and crushed a home run with bases loaded to put Biola up by five and giving him his 13th homer of the season. Biola got another run in the fifth thanks to a double by Rodriguez, followed by one final run in the sixth off of a single by Smith.
SDCU tried to fight back, scoring two runs in each of the final two innings, but the effort would fall short, as they only decreased Biola’s lead to three before the third out in the top of the seventh, ending the game. Solid pitching performances from Biola’s arms, sophomores Jimmy Gallarda and Buddy Brouwer and freshman Daniel Jang contributed to their victory. Gallarda came away with the win, since he started the game and pitched 5.0 innings, giving up three runs off of five hits. Brouwer and Jang each pitched for one inning, both giving up two runs.
The Eagle’s next game is an out-of-conference doubleheader against California State University San Marcos Cougars on April 22. The first game starts at noon at Eagles Diamond, followed by the second at 2 pm.
