GAME ONE BOX SCORE | GAME TWO BOX SCORE
AZUSA, Calif. — Azusa Pacific rallied back from deficits in both games including an early seven-run hole in the first game to sweep a GSAC doubleheader from Biola on Saturday afternoon, winning 12-11 in 11 innings in game one and 18-7 in game two.
The Eagles, ranked No. 17 in the latest NAIA National Rankings, drop to 33-16 on the season the heels of their fourth straight loss and fall to 22-12 in GSAC play. The No. 5-ranked Cougars move to 40-8 and wrap up their second-straight conference championship with a 28-7 record.
The day started off well for Biola, which jumped to an early 7-0 lead midway through game one. Kris Cook and David West hit back-to-back RBI-doubles to score the first two Biola runs in the top of the first and Brent Chavez and West each hit two-run home runs in the second and third inning, respectively. The Eagles made it a seven-run lead in the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Nick Rotkowitz.
Jimmy Johnson, Biola's starting pitcher, got off to a great start as well, scattering four hits over the first four innings and not allowing a runner past second base. However, in the fifth inning, the wheels fell off as Johnson surrendered three home runs–two solo shots and a three-run bomb by Bryce Cutspec–to chase the Eagles' starter.
In the top of the sixth, Biola added another run on a sacrifice fly by Cook to go up 8-5, but the Cougars tied the score with three runs in the bottom of the seventh.
The Eagles quickly regained the lead in the top of the eighth as Cook drove home the go-ahead run with an RBI-single. However, Biola would load the bases with two out before Zach Pettikas worked out of the jam with a strikeout.
Biola headed to the bottom of the ninth with a 9-8 lead, but Stephen Gillette wasted no time tying the game, depositing the third pitch he saw over the rightfield fence. Azusa put two on with one out in the inning, but the Eagles turned a doubleplay to end the threat and send it to extra innings.
Biola tacked on two runs in the top of the 10th as Rotkowitz and Gebbers hit doubles to lead off the frame. After a single by Cook, West grounded out to force home the second run and make it 11-9. However, the Cougars answered back again with two in the bottom of the inning as Stephen Kohatsu led off the frame with a solo home run and Chris Cooper plated another with an RBI-single.
After the Eagles failed to score in the top of the 11th, Azusa Pacific finally ended the game as Gillette hit a two-out bases-loaded single to right to give the Cougars their first lead of the game and a thrilling 12-11 victory.
In game two, Biola struck first again, scoring three runs in the top of the first. Gebbers drove in the first run with an RBI-single followed a run-scoring double by Cook and an RBI-single by West.
But things did not go well for Biola starter Charlie Gausepohl in the bottom of the first as the Cougars put up a nine-spot to blow the game open early. Gausepohl got just one out and allowed nine earned on six hits with four walks as he suffered the loss.
Biola tried to close the gap, scoring two in the third inning on an RBI ground-out by West and a run-scoring single by Chavez, but Azusa just responded with eight runs of their own in the bottom of the third as the Cougars cruised to the easy rout in game two.
Junior Nick Rotkowitz, who went 3-for-7 on the day, extended his hitting-streak to a season-best 23 games. He is just one shy of the Biola record of 24 straight set back in 1982.
Cook also finished the day in good shape, going 5-for-6 overall and Chris Foreman was 4-for-6 on the afternoon.
Biola is in the midst of its longest losing streak of the year at four games and it has been its pitching that has failed it. The Eagles has given up 49 runs on 74 hits over the last 33-2/3 innings. The offense has struggled to keep up, scoring 30 runs on 52 hits, but not being able overcome in the end.
The Cougars wrapped up the GSAC title with the win today and Fresno Pacific secured the No. 2 spot with a sweep over San Diego Christian. Biola did get some good news as Point Loma Nazarene split a twinbill with The Master's to give the Eagles the third spot in the conference and guarantee them a home game to start the NAIA Region II tournament.
Biola returns home for the final game of the regular season, hosting No. 12 Fresno Pacific in a GSAC game on Tuesday (Apr. 29) at Eagles Diamond. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.
