After losing to No. 18 Arizona Christian University twice on March 11, the Biola softball team beat the Firestorm on April 9 in two games that each held a final score of 5-4. These wins boosted Biola’s conference record to 6-9. The last eight games of the season are all against Golden State Athletic Conference opponents.
doubleheader split
Biola’s only loss came from the first game against the University of Antelope Valley on April 7. The Pioneers held the Eagles off the scoreboard for the entire game thanks to the pitching of senior Tabitha Bayers who only allowed three hits in seven innings pitched. Biola lost 0-2.
The Eagles quickly took advantage of Bayers’ absence from the mound and scored five runs in the first inning of the second game. Senior third baseman Heather Hall and sophomore first baseman Selena Sherlin each hit an RBI single, which was followed by a three-run home run off the bat off freshman right fielder Areana Ramos. After scoring two more runs in each the second and third inning, the Eagles won the game 9-1.
Triolo saves day
The top GSAC team, Arizona Christian, traveled to Biola on April 9 with the hopes of beating the Eagles with another sweep and opened the first game with a single run in the first inning. Biola quickly answered with two runs of their own in the bottom of the first thanks to a two-run home run by Hall. The back-and-forth continued early in the game as the Firestorm scored three runs in the second. Ramos responded with a solo home run and limited the Firestorm’s lead to 3-4 after two innings.
Junior pitcher Kimmy Triolo saved the day for the Eagles, hitting a two-run homerun over the centerfield wall. Biola won 5-4. Triolo also earned the win after her two innings of scoreless pitching.
“Bottom line is we had more fight than them,” Hall said. “When we won the first game we had so much intensity going into the next game and wanted to take them on again. Not to mention, they are in first place so it was double the intensity that day.”
The second game carried into extra innings as the score was tied 3-3 after seven innings. Arizona Christian scored a run in the top of the eighth, putting pressure on the Eagles. Biola was able to pull off the eight game victory after an RBI single from both Ramos and junior outfielder Kasey Hormel. Biola won 5-4.
Crucial Road Trip
This game concluded a 16-game home stand. The Eagles will have to readjust to life on the road as they are due to play William Jessup University in Rocklin, Calif. on April 15.
“It is easy for us to play at home because we get to sleep in our own beds, we aren’t lagged from riding in a bus all weekend, and we are comfortable at our field,” Hall said. “I think we just need to bring the same mindset and mentality into the games this weekend that we have been having and hopefully our fans will follow us to make it feel more like home.”
Biola currently sits sixth out of the seven teams in GSAC. The next weeks will be crucial in earning a spot in postseason play as they hold eight conference games.
