In the first of a two game set against the College of Idaho, the Eagles were unable to hold back the Yotes, who are now 11-1 and hold a 5-0 away record. After a 2-7 loss, Biola’s losing streak increased to three while their season record dropped to 4-10.

Senior starting pitcher Eric Diomartich found his groove early in the game, allowing only one hit through the first three innings. Despite his strong start, Diomartich found trouble in the fourth inning, allowing a pair of runs.

Down 0-2, the Eagles answered with one run in the bottom of the fourth with an RBI single from senior designated hitter Eugene Shin, which scored junior shortstop JD Meyer from second base.

With a two-out swing of the bat in the following inning, the Yotes scored two more runs off Diomartich. After getting the final out in the fifth, Diomartich ended his outing with three hits, four runs and three strikeouts.

With the scoreboard reading 1-4, junior right-handed pitcher Gabe Ihrig relieved Diomartich and took the mound in the top of the sixth. In the bottom of the seventh, junior catcher Sam Thorne hit an RBI single and scored freshman second baseman Anj Bourgeois from third, making the score 2-4 and knocking the Yotes starting pitcher out of the game.

However, those would be the only two runs for the Eagles as the Yotes scored three more runs in the top of the eighth off of Ihrig. Although sophomore lefty Brandon Valente came in and pitched a two-hit ninth inning, the Eagles were unable to rally in the bottom of the inning and fell to the Yotes 2-7. Diomartich received the loss for the game and dropped to 1-2 on the season.

Hoping to split the series, the Eagles will face off against the Yotes again on Friday, Feb. 19 at 10 a.m.