Despite the efforts of senior starting pitcher Eric Diomartich and his quality start, the Eagles lost the first game of a pivotal three-game series against the Menlo College Oaks. Biola could not hold back the Oaks’ ninth inning comeback and lost 8-7. Both teams are now 12-10 and tied for the final play-off spot in the Golden State Athletic Conference.

Junior rightfielder Jeremy Barth, who went 3-5 and brought in nearly half of the Eagles’ runs, put Biola on the board with an RBI fielder’s choice in the bottom of the second inning. Up 1-0, the Eagles added to their lead in the bottom of the fourth with consecutive RBI singles hit by freshman centerfielder Jerron Largusa and Barth.

With Diomartich on the mound, the Oaks only brought home three runs through the first eight innings of the game. Meanwhile, junior catcher Sam Thorne hit his fourth homerun of the season in the bottom of the fifth. After junior first baseman Jimmy Gallarda and Barth brought in two more runs in the fifth, the Eagles extended their lead to 6-2.

A sacrifice fly from junior designated hitter Rawley Hughes in the bottom of the seventh put the Eagles up 7-3 going until the top of the ninth. However, junior right-handed pitcher Gabe Ihrig gave up three runs to start the inning. He was followed by junior left-handed pitcher Buddy Brouwer, who walked in the go-ahead run as the Oaks won the game 8-7.

The Eagles continue against the Oaks in their final home series of the season with a double-header starting on Saturday, April 16 at 11 a.m.