BOX SCORE
LA MIRADA, Calif. --- Senior Josh Baas and junior Tom Glassman combined to hold down one of the GSAC's most potent offenses as No. 23 Biola defeated No. 8 Cal Baptist 11-5 on Wednesday afternoon at Eagles Diamond in La Mirada.
The Eagles improve to 12-5 overall and are now 8-4 in GSAC play with their eight-straight win. The Lancers, who have lost eight of their last 14 games after starting 9-0, drop to 15-8 and 6-7 in conference.
Baas improved to 1-1 and looked strong for his second straight outing. He surrendered three earned runs and scattering eight hits over six innings, striking out six while walking just one.
Glassman picked up the save in relief as he allowed just one unearned run on one hit over the final three innings. Glassman, who struggled with mechanics earlier in the season, has allowed the one unearned run on two hits over the last 5-2/3 innings he has pitched while striking out six and walking one.
Junior Kris Cook savored the role of lead-off hitter, going 3-for-4 in the game with three RBI and a run scored. Senior Nick Dietzen and sophomore Hawkins Gebbers each hit a solo home run in the third inning for the Eagles.
Biola got things going early, scoring two unearned runs in the bottom of the first inning. After a catcher's interference call loaded the bases with one out, junior Matt Smith plated Cook with a single to left followed by Gebbers driving in Chris Foreman with a groundout.
Cal Baptist got one back in the top of the second with an RBI-double by catcher Eric Krzysiak and took the lead in the top of the third on a two run home run by right fielder Aaron Seuss. It was the 10th home run on the season for Seuss, who was the 2006 GSAC Player of the Year.
Biola took the lead right back, though, with four runs in the bottom of the third. The Eagles tied the score as Dietzen led the inning off with a solo shot to left field. One out later, Gebbers followed with a solo homer of his own to left center.
After a pair of walks put runners at first and second with two outs, Cook drilled a double to left which skipped past the diving leftfielder to score two runs and make it 6-3.
The Lancers would pull a bit closer with a solo homerun to right centerfield by Brandon Peters in the fifth. Again, however, the Eagles would win the inning with two runs in the bottom of the frame thanks to an RBI-single by Cook and a sacrifice fly by Scott Nelson.
Pinch-hitter David West would clear the bases in the bases with a three-RBI double down the rightfield line to wrap up the scoring for the Eagles.
Brad Simmons took the loss for Cal Baptist and drops to 3-2 on the season. Simmons allowed five runs on six hits in 2-1/3 innings pitched.
Brandon Daily looked strong for the Lancers in relief in the final two innings, striking out five of the six batters he faced.
The two teams square off again on Thursday (Mar. 8) in the second half of a home-and-home series. The game, which is slated to start at 6:00 p.m., will be played at Woodcrest Christian High School in Riverside.
