The Biola softball team showed signs of improvement over the course of the year as they finished the season with two wins over Vanguard University on April 25. Biola lost to the Lions twice earlier in the season.

Only one player crossed home in the first game of the double header. After three scoreless innings, sophomore right fielder Kimmy Triolo lined a ball up the middle to send junior catcher Bria Madrid home. Three innings later, Biola won 1-0.

QUICKLY ANSWERED

Senior right-handed pitcher Reba DePriest earned a win for her five scoreless innings on the mound. After five innings, Triolo relieved DePriest and earned her third save of the season after not allowing a hit in the final two innings.

Vanguard scored early in the second game, earning one run in the first inning. Biola quickly answered with four runs of their own in the second inning, sparked by a double by senior outfielder Brooke Madrid and added to by a single from sophomore first baseman Kasey Hormel. After two innings, the Eagles led 4-1.

MORE PREPARED

Each team added two runs to their tally throughout the remaining innings. Biola’s runs came by the bat of Bri Madrid, who singled down the left field line to drive in two runs. The Eagles won 6-3.

“The second time we played them we were totally more prepared,” Triolo said. “I think we just knew who we were as a team better because the first time we played them it was our first conference game.”

The softball team ended their regular season holding a 32-16 season record while being 16-8 in the Golden State Athletic Conference. They currently rank second in GSAC and are ranked No. 20 in the NAIA.

CAPABLE OF WINNING

The softball team will attempt to earn a trip to the NAIA National Tournament through winning the GSAC Tournament on May 1. Last season, the team lost in the championship game to Concordia University by a score of 0-5.

“We definitely are capable of winning at GSAC,” Triolo said. “We’ve beaten Concordia before, they’re our main competitor, so I think we can do it easily again.”

CONCERNS FOR INJURIES

Biola’s main concern going into the GSAC Tournament is injuries. Four players were recently added to their roster from other Biola sport teams to patch the injury-riddled lineup. One of the players struggling with injuries is sophomore third baseman Heather Hall. Hall currently leads the team with her .455 batting average and also has 33 season RBIs.

If the Eagles earn a spot in Nationals, it will be the first repeat trip since the 2007 and 2008 season. Last year, Biola did not advance out of their pool after they lost to Reinhardt University twice.