GAME BOX SCORE
COSTA MESA, Calif. — Four pitchers combined to limit Vanguard to just one run while the Biola offense pounded out 14 hits as the No. 13 Eagles downed the Lions 7-1 in a GSAC game Thursday afternoon at the VU baseball field in Costa Mesa.
Biola improves to 24-9 overall on the season with the win while improving to 15-7 in GSAC play. Vanguard drops to 15-19 on the year and 6-16 in conference action.
The Eagles used a tandem of four pitchers to hold down Vanguard. Tavish O'Keefe was called upon to make the start as Biola's normal starter Charlie Gausepohl was under the weather. O'Keefe went 3-2/3 innings allowing a run on four hits while striking out four. Steven Alexander followed with a strong 3-1/3 innings to earn the win in relief. He scattered six hits but struck out five and didn't allow a run. Justin Rodriguez and Tim Nolan each pitched an inning to close out the game.
Biola struck first with a run in the bottom of the first inning. Chris Foreman singled up the middle to open the game and reached second on failed pick off attempt. He then came around to score on a double by Nick Rotkowitz.
Vanguard came back with a run in the top of the second on three consecutive singles with Luke Iverson driving home Zach Leighton.
But from that point on it was all Biola. The Eagles would score a pair of runs in the third inning on four consecutive singles with two out. Cook got things going with a shot off the leg of the pitcher and reached second on a throwing error. David West then drove him home with a single to right. Brent Chavez followed up with a single to right-center and Brent Opdyke closed things out with an RBI-single to right.
Biola tacked on another two runs in the fifth as West doubled down the rightfield line. Opdyke followed that up with a two-run home run blasted deep over the rightfield fence to make it 5-1. It was the first home run of the season for the freshman, who finished the day going 2-for-5 with three RBIs.
The Eagles picked up another pair of runs in the top of the eighth, again with two outs. Rotkowitz hit a single to right with two outs to get things going with DJ Harbeson taking over as a pinch runner. Hawkins Gebbers then drilled a double down the leftfield line to put runners at second and third with two outs. Both runners were able to score as a wild pitch allowed Harbeson to easily score with Gebbers coming around as the Vanguard catcher's throw got past the pitcher covering home.
The double by Gebbers extended his hitting streak to 18 games, the longest streak by a Biola player since 2003 when Carl Galloway had a 23-game streak. The school record is 24 established by Randy Brouwer in 1982.
Rotkowitz had a strong day for the Eagles, going 3-for-4 with an RBI, reaching base four times in the game. David West took over the team batting-average lead with a 3-for-5 performance, scoring two runs and driving in another.
Biola returns to action on Saturday (Apr. 5) for a key GSAC doubleheader at Point Loma Nazarene beginning at Noon.
