Biola baseball has continued to regain their stature this season with two more wins that were secured after a two-game series against Point Loma Nazarene University. The Eagles traveled down to San Diego, Calif. where they defeated the Cougars, 13-6 and 3-2.
HARD HITTERS
The Eagles started off hot in game one. Even though the Sea Lions scored one run in the bottom of the first inning, Biola did not get rattled. Instead, they rounded up five total points in the top of the second inning alone, giving them a significant edge over the Sea Lions in the beginning stages of the game. PLNU did fire back with three scored runs of their own, two during the bottom of the third and one during the bottom of the fourth inning. However, it was Eagles’ ball from here on out.
Biola began to really take off during the backend of the game. The top of the fifth started with redshirt senior third baseman Jacob Portaro singling into left field, leaving junior second baseman RobertAnthony Cruz and sophomore infielder Tyler White to run through home plate. The sixth inning shows similar momentum with senior outfielder Johnny Sage hitting another single that would advance junior shortstop Connor Kostecka and junior designated hitter Ryan Gallegos home.
With a 9-4 lead over PLNU, Biola continued to make moves with three more runs in the seventh by junior outfielder Brandon Cody, Gallegos and Kostecka. The Sea Lions had one final chance to come back, but only produced two runs in the bottom of the ninth, leaving Biola to take home the victory, 13-6.
CLOSING OUT
Game two started with fatigue on both teams. Point Loma scored two runs in the bottom of the first and third innings to give them a 2-0 lead. However, it would not last long, as the Eagles fought back in the top of the fourth. Freshman catcher Rhett Stein hit a flyball that would advance Gallegos to second, Cody to third and junior first baseman Jackson Collins home. With White up to bat next, he singled to the right, advancing Gallegos to third and Cody to score the second run of the game.
Gallegos was eagerly waiting on third for his chance to take the lead, and Kostecka gave him the opportunity with a single up the middle that would give Gallegos the green light to run through home base. Both teams remained scoreless the rest of the game, and the Eagles secured their second victory over the Sea Lions, 3-2.
The Eagles now advance to 8-13 overall as they prepare to travel south to Concordia University Irvine on Friday, April 23 for another doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m.
