Biola softball traveled to Irvine, Calif. yesterday afternoon to take on the Concordia University Irvine Golden Eagles for the first time in the 2021 season. What started out promising quickly fell as the evening progressed. The Eagles secured game one with a 3-2 victory, but faced defeat in the back-end of the doubleheader, losing 2-8.

SPLIT STRENGTH

Concordia came out in game one showing their No. 9 seeded strength. The Golden Eagles scored two runs between the first two innings, leaving Biola scoreless—that was until the top of the fourth inning rolled around. With runners on first and second, senior catcher Kayla Neff was at bat and drilled a home run, bringing in three points for the Eagles in a matter of seconds. Biola remained up by a single point throughout the rest of the innings that were scoreless on both ends, granting the Eagles a 3-2 victory.

However, game two of the evening did not follow suit. While Biola did score one run in the top of the first courtesy of sophomore pitcher Jennifer Morinishi, Concordia came out swinging, racking up three runs at the bottom of the first. Another run by senior outfielder Haley Martinez brought the Eagles closer to CUI in the top of the second, making it a 2-3 ball game, but the offensive gains stopped there for the Eagles. Biola went on for the last five innings scoreless as Concordia found one run in the bottom of the third and four runs at the bottom of the sixth, winning 8-2.

The Eagles (3-3) will now host Concordia University Irvine on Saturday, March 13 at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. in another doubleheader on Freedom Field.