GAME ONE BOX SCORE | GAME TWO BOX SCORE
LA MIRADA, Calif. --- Katie Gustaveson tossed 10 scoreless innings, allowing just five hits, starting both ends of the doubleheader to help No. 16 Biola earn a GSAC doubleheader split, winning 6-4 in game two after falling 1-0 to No. 7 Vanguard University on Saturday afternoon at Freedom Field.
It was the fifth win for the Eagles in their last eight games against teams ranked in the NAIA's top 10. They run their record to 28-10 on the season and move to 9-7 in the tough GSAC conference. Vanguard, which opened the season at 11-0 in the GSAC, falls to 12-4 in conference and 34-9 overall.
After being held to just one hit in the first game, Biola jumped out to a quick 6-0 lead in the second. The Eagles got on the board with a run in the first. Amerra Kesterson led the frame off with a single to right, stole second and then was sacrificed to third by Sarah Jensen. Lindsay Nuckolls then drove her home with a single through the left side to put the Eagles up 1-0.
Biola then added two runs in the second, capitolizing on a big error by the Lions. Holly Jackson drove in the first with a ground ball to second base as Krista Johnson beat out the throw to the plate. Kesterson then plated the second with a single back up the middle.
Another pair of errors in the third inning led to three more Eagle runs with Johnson driving in a run and Jackson adding another on a sacrifice fly. The inning began with singles by Nuckolls and Keena Levert, chasing Vanguard starter Kelsey Boyer, who allowed five runs on six hits over two-plus innings pitched, taking the loss to fall to 9-1 on the season.
Gustaveson allowed just two hits over five innings for Biola before giving way to sophomore Emily Gray. Gray was roughed up a bit, giving up four runs on five hits in the final two frames as the Lions made a last-ditch attempt to get back in the game.
The big blow for Vanguard was a two run home run by Jennifer Olvera, which closed the gap to 6-4. The Lions would add two more in the seventh after a two-out error and brought the tying run to the plate. But Gray was able to get April Glenn to ground out to third to end the game.
In the first game, though, Biola was unable to score any runs early of Vanguard starter Jennifer Olvera, who one-hit the Eagles for the second time this season. The only trouble she got in was in the fourth inning after Nuckolls reached on the lone hit of the game, stole second and reached third on a wild pitch with one out. Olvera came through, however, by striking out Levert and Johnson to end the threat.
The Biola pitching tandem was the same in game one as Gustaveson went five innings, allowing just three hits before giving way to Gray in the sixth.
Vanguard got the only run of the game in that inning as Rachel Bomgren drew a one-out walk, stole second and got to third on a wild pitch on a walk to Glenn. With runners at the corners and one out, Sarah Howe hit what appeared to be a sacrifice fly to centerfield when things took a weird turn. It started when Kesterson dropped the fly trying to hurry a throw home. However, she was able to get the out at second, though the run scored on the play.
Gray took the loss in game one and fell to 10-4 overall. Gustaveson was the winner in game two and is now 14-5 on the year.
Bomgren and Nuckolls, the two best hitters in the GSAC in batting this season, were each 3-for-7 on the day, collecting two hits apiece in game two.
Levert, Johnson and Kesterson each added two hits in game two to aid BIola's 10-hit attack.
The Eagles return to action on Tuesday (Apr. 17), traveling to face Concordia University in a GSAC doubleheader.
