Taylor Loop went 3-for-4 and had a key two-run double as Biola came back from an early six-run deficit and beat No. 3 Point Loma Nazarene 9-7 in the first game of a GSAC doubleheader on Saturday afternoon. The Sea Lions won the second game by a score of 11-0 to salvage a split.
In the first game, Biola fell behind early as starting pitcher Nate Coronado, who had been red hot as of late, was struggling. Kurt Stienhauer got the Sea Lions on the board with a run in the first inning on a solo home run to left.
In the second inning, Point Loma Nazarene added two more runs via the home run, this one coming off the bat of Tyler Kuehl to increase the lead to 3-0. The Sea Lions would accumulate three more runs to put their lead at 6-0.
Biola would respond with a monster fourth inning sending 10 batters to the plate and racking up five runs. Brent Chavez and Brent Opdyke collected back-to-back RBI-singles for the first two runs. With two out and the bases loaded, David West lofted a two-run single to center and the Eagles picked up the final run of the inning due to a fielding error by the Sea Lions. The next inning Hawkins Gebbers would deposit one over the fence, his seventh home run of year, and that would tie the game at 6-6.
In the sixth inning Biola would take the lead. Pinch-hitter Gil Banwart reached on an error to lead things off followed by a single through the right-side by Chris Foreman. The Sea Lions wanted no part of Gebbers as they intentionally walked him to load the bases. Taylor Loop followed with his third hit of the game, driving in a pair of runs to give the Eagles an 8-6 lead.
Point Loma added a run in the seventh to pull to within one, but it would not be enough as Biola picked up another run just for insurance in the bottom of the eighth inning as West walked with one out, moved to third on a single by Foreman and scored on a sacrifice fly by Nick Rotkowitz.
Mike Frisina picked up the win in relief for the Eagles, allowing just one hit over 3-2/3 innings of relief. Closer Billy Vopinek picked up his 10th save of the season, pitching the final two innings without allowing a hit.
Even though Coronado was not at his best this game, the Eagles are now 8-0 when Coronado starts. Coronado has a record of 3-0.
In the second game, PLNU starter Andrew Bovich was virtually unhittable, allowing just three hits over seven innings to improve to 6-0 on the season and lower his ERA to 1.65 with his second shutout of the season.
Point Loma’s offensive barrage just could not be stopped as they scored three runs in the second inning and added three more in the third. They continued by scoring two in the sixth and capped the scoring off with three more in the seventh.
All three of Biola’s hits were singles and they could not figure out Bovich. They fell 11-0 in the second game.
Brian Albert took the loss for the Eagles, falling to 2-7 on the season and dropping to 2-2 at home.
Biola ended the day at 18-16 overall and 11-10 in GSAC play while Point Loma Nazarene moved to 23-8 on the season and remained in the top spot in the conference with a 17-5 record.
