Box Score ALEXANDRIA, La. --- The wild ride that was the 2015 Biola Softball season came to a close on Wednesday afternoon with an 8-3 loss to No. 2 LSU Alexandria in the championship game of this NAIA Tournament Opening Round site.
 
Before the game Head Coach Lorie Coleman implored the team to be thankful for where God has led this team and how much they've already accomplished this season, including getting 36 wins, being the final Golden State Athletic Conference team standing, setting a new team homerun record and getting three more conference wins than last season. All of these are aspects that this team can be extremely proud of and, as Coleman said, give all the glory to God for.
 
This team was small in numbers but big in heart, resulting in a second-straight appearance in the NAIA National Tournament after what was a 12-year hiatus.
 
The run came to a close in a game where Biola was simply outmatched by the prolific offense of a national title contender in LSUA. The Generals got nine hits in this one, including two triples and a homerun, and they built their lead with four separate two-run innings.
 
Biola had to use three different pitchers to attempt to shut down the best lineup in the NAIA. Each of the three hurlers had moments of success and a few times of trial. The most positive appearance was the two scoreless innings Terri Van Dagens posted as she worked the sixth and seventh innings. Her strong performance bodes well for the Eagles as she will be one of their primary arms next season.
 
There nearly was no seventh inning as LSU Alexandria extended their lead to 8-0 in the top of the sixth inning, forcing the Eagles to score at least one to avoid being run-ruled in their final game of the season.
 
Coleman inserted Amanda Lillicrop into the order to start the sixth inning hoping to light a spark in the Eagles' offense.
 
It worked.
 
Lillicrop reached on a walk and was moved forward on a double by Bria Madrid. This got runners on second and third for yesterday's hero, Selina Sherlin. Sherlin clanked one off the outfield wall and also reached second base.
 
This two-bagger brought home both runners and made it just a six-run game. Kimmy Triolo moved Sherlin to third with a groundout that essentially functioned as a sacrifice bunt, and then Sarah Stromwall, playing her final game for Biola, laid down a successful squeeze bunt that brought Sherlin home and allowed Stromwall to reach first.
 
That was all the Eagles could get for the rest of the game, but it was just enough to boost the spirits in the dugout and prove once again that even against all odds Team 22 did not ever give up.
 
With the loss Biola's season finishes with a final record of 36-20. They've now won 72 games over the last two seasons and made it to just two wins shy of a NAIA Softball World Series appearance in each year.
 
It was a great two seasons to end the careers of Reba DePriest, Brooke Madrid, Ashley Spadt and Sarah Stromwall; A core group of four seniors who will surely be missed.
 
Now that the games are done its time for the team to head back to La Mirada, heal up and then get ready to get back at it next year with a few all-new faces.