GAME ONE BOX SCORE | GAME TWO BOX SCORE

IRVINE, Calif. — Biola scored all 16 of its runs with two outs en route to a GSAC doubleheader sweep over Concordia University, winning by scores of 12-8 and 4-3 on Saturday afternoon in Irvine.

It was the sixth straight victory for Biola, which improves to 32-12 on the season and 22-10 in GSAC play. BU also moved within one game of second place Fresno Pacific, which split a twinbill with Point Loma. Concordia drops to 19-17 and 17-15 in conference action.

Junior Kris Cook went 4-for-5 on the day and reached base in eight of nine plate appearances. He also blasted a 400+ foot blast beyond the right centerfield fence for a two-run home run which proved to be the difference in game two.

Biola got off to a quick start in the first game with three runs in the top of the first inning. David West, who was 4-for-7 with five RBIs in the two games, plated the first two runs with a triple down the rightfield line. He then came around to score on a double by Chad Pace.

Concordia answered back with a run in the bottom of the first and the score remained close through the first six innings with Biola adding a single run on a Cook RBI-single in the fifth.

However, Biola broke the game open with a six-spot in the top of the seventh inning with all of the damage coming with two outs. West came through with another clutch two-RBI hit with a bases-loaded single. That was followed by a run-scoring single by Pace and a three-run home run to right by freshman Brent Opdyke to make it 10-1.

It looked as if Biola would easily cruise to the victory, but Concordia answered back with six runs of their own in the bottom of the inning. The first five batters of the inning reached base for Concordia before Biola starter Jimmy Johnson was able to get back-to-back strikeouts. However, CU then got two more singles to chase Johnson and scored another on a single and walk.

Biola closer Tim Nolan came on in relief after that and got a clutch strikeout to end the threat. Biola would add a pair of insurance runs in the top of the ninth on a two-out, two-run home run off the bat of Chad Pace to make it 12-7. Nolan got into a bit of trouble in the bottom of the ninth, allowing three singles with two outs, then loading the bases with a walk. But he was able to get Concordia's leadoff hitter Greg Davidson to strikeout to end the game.

Johnson did not have his best outing of the season, but did earn the win to improve to 9-2 overall. In his last outing against Concordia, he did not allow a hit until there were two out in the top of the ninth. This time, he allowed seven runs on 12 hits over 6-2/3 innings, adding seven strikeouts.

In the second game, Biola struck first against Concordia ace Enrique Lechuga, as West drove home Cook with a two-out, RBI-single in the top of the second. Biola added two more in the third on a tape-measure two-run shot off the bat of Cook to go up 3-0.

Concordia struck back with two in the fifth inning as Nick Fuentes led off the frame with a pinch-hit home run followed later by an RBI-single from Nathan Dean.

Biola took advantage of a big error to score an insurance run in the top of the sixth as Chris Foreman drove home Brent Chavez with a two-out single up the middle to make it 4-2.

Concordia made things interesting in the top of the sixth inning, as Davidson hit a run-scoring single to make it 4-3 with one out. After a walk loaded the bases, Biola got a huge play from shortstop Nick Rotkowitz, who made a diving stop on a grounder up the middle, flipped the ball to Hawkins Gebbers at second, who barehanded it, stepped on the bag and threw to first for an inning-ending doubleplay.

Nolan came back on the bottom of the seventh and–after a lead-off walk–got a ground out and two strikeouts to earn his second save of the day.

Biola starter Charlie Gausepohl allowed three runs on eight hits with a pair of strikeouts to earn the win and improve to 2-1 on the season.

Rotkowitz collected three hits on the day to run his hitting streak to 18 games, batting .441 over that stretch (30-for-68).

Biola's two out magic is nothing new for the team, though scoring 100% of its runs with two out is impressive. Biola has recorded 45% of its RBIS (140 of 311) with two outs on the year.

Biola returns to action on Tuesday (Apr. 22), facing regional foe Cal State San Marcos in a non-conference contest in San Marcos at 3:00 p.m.