GAME ONE BOX SCORE | GAME TWO BOX SCORE
CLOVIS, Calif. --- Biola split a pair of one-run affairs to wrap up its regular season, winning 3-2 in the second game against Fresno Pacific after falling 7-6 in the first game on Saturday at Buchanan High School in Clovis.
The Eagles close out the regular season at 28-22 and wrap up fifth place in the GSAC with a 19-17 record. The Sunbirds wrap up their second year of varsity ball at 22-28 and a 12-24 conference mark.
Biola got a great start from senior Josh Baas (5-3) in game two as he scattered three hits and allowed an unearned run in four innings pitched. Four pitchers held the lead for the Eagles over the final three innings to give Biola the victory.
The Eagles offense was led by Hawkins Gebbers who drilled a pair of home runs to left center in his first two at-bats, continuing his hot play as of late. Tim Wells provided the eventual game-winning run with a solo shot of his own in the fifth.
Fresno Pacific scored first in the game thanks to a two-out error by the Eagles.
Gebbers tied the game with a homer in the second, then hit another in the fourth to make it 2-1. Wells then made it 3-1 with his shot in the fifth.
The Sunbirds closed the gap to one in the sixth as Thomas Raymundo drew a lead-off walk and scored on a sacrifice fly by Brett Howard.
Fresno Pacific pitcher Antone Ontiveros tossed a great game, allowing just three runs on seven hits, but suffered the loss to fall to 3-8 on the year.
Game one started out well for the Eagles as they scored four runs in the top of the first inning. Catcher Kris Cook blasted the first of two home runs--a two-run shot to centerfield--to give Biola a quick 2-0 lead. after a fly out, three straight singles by David West, Matt McQueen and Nick Dietzen scored two more runs to make it 4-0.
However, the lead was short-lived as Fresno tied the game with one swing of the bat in the bottom of the second. After a single and back-to-back walks loaded the bases, Howard cleared them off with a shot down the leftfield line for his first home run of the season.
The Eagles took the lead again in the fifth inning on another RBI-single by McQueen to go up 5-4.
But, again, that lead as short-lived. Fresno struck right back with three in the fifth inning, getting three hits and three walks to go up 7-5. After tying the game with a run on a wild pitch, Justin Crisp singled home the go-ahead run with a hit to right. The Sunbirds got their third run after the Eagles were unable to turn a double play with the sacks full and one out.
Biola make things exciting in the top of the ninth as Cook hit another solo home run, this one with two outs to make it 7-6. However, Michael Mendrin, who pitched the final four innings of the game to pick his first save of the year, was able to get Gebbers to pop out to end the game.
Kellen Nunes picked up the win for Fresno Pacific to improve to 7-3, allowing five runs on 10 hits with two strikeouts.
Tom Glassman suffered the loss, surrendering seven runs on eight hits over 4-1/3 and falls to 0-3 on the season. Charlie Gausepohl came in, though, and tried to keep the Eagles in the game by allowing just four hits and no runs over the final 3-2/3 innings.
On the day, Gebbers did go 4-for-8 with his two home runs in the second game, recording the best day for Biola. Cook had a strong first game, going 2-for-4 with three runs scored and three driven in.
Biola now takes a bit of time off before heading to the NAIA Region II Playoffs. The first game of the tournament is on Friday (May 4) and the Eagles will open on the road against either Point Loma Nazarene or California Baptist. The tournament will then be completed at Azusa Pacific University May 8-10. The official tournament field will be releases early next week.
