GAME ONE BOX SCORE | GAME TWO BOX SCORE
SAN DIEGO, Calif. — Biola hit six home runs over the course of Saturday's GSAC doubleheader–including three by junior Chad Pace in three consecutive at bats–but still came away empty-handed as Point Loma Nazarene swept the twinbill by scores of 11-10 and 6-4 at Carroll B Land Field in San Diego.
The Eagles had their seven-game winning streak snapped and fall to 24-11 on the season and 15-9 in GSAC play. Point Loma Nazarene improves to 19-17 and 12-12 in conference action.
Pace had two home runs in the first game of the doubleheader and the lone long-ball in game two as he went 4-for-7 with five RBIs and three runs scored. His three homers in consecutive at bats matched a school record set by Sam Orr in a twinbill against Bethany University during the 2003 season.
The first game of the doubleheader resembled a old-fashioned game of Home Run Derby as the two teams combined to hit nine home runs. When the dust settled, the teams scored a total of 21 runs and had 25 hits with just one run by each team not coming via the long-ball.
In a sign of things to come, Biola's Chris Foreman led off the game with a solo home run to give the Eagles an early 1-0 lead. However, it was short-lived as Kurt Steinhauer hit his first of two home runs in the game–a two-run shot to give the Sea Lions a 2-1 lead. They would add three more runs in the second on a costly error by the Biola pitcher to take go up 5-1.
Hawkins Gebbers extended his hitting streak with a two-run home run in the top of the third to make it 5-3, but PLNU responded with five runs in the bottom of the fourth to blow the game open. Chris Huston led off the inning with a solo homer and Steinhauer capped the scoring with a three-run shot.
Biola was not done, though as they scored four runs in the eighth to close the gap. With one out, the Eagles got three straight singles with Matt McQueen's driving in the first run of the inning. Pace then hit his first homer of the game–a three-run shot to make it 10-7.
Point Loma Nazarene added what proved to be a huge insurance run with a solo homer by Jesse Gill in the bottom of the eight. It was huge as the Eagles would score three more times in the top of the ninth inning. Pace drilled a solo home run to left-center with two outs to make it 11-8. That was followed by a single by pinch-hitter Scott Nelson then a two-run home run by David West. However, PLNU's Robbie Naegele was able to get the final out and end the game.
Biola's Jimmy Johnson was tagged with the loss as he give up nine earned runs on 10 hits while striking out five over eight innings to fall to 7-2 on the year.
In the second game, the Eagles got off to a quick start. Foreman led off with a walk and stole second, then scored on an RBI-single by Rotkowitz. David West then plated Rotkowitz with a sacrfice fly to put Biola up 2-0 after the first.
Pace made it a 3-0 lead with a solo shot in the third inning and Biola pitcher Josh Baas was cruising. He allowed just two hits through the first four innings, but things fell a part in the bottom of the fifth.
With two outs in the fifth, the Sea Lions used four-straight singles to score three runs and tie the game. After the Eagles went 1-2-3 in the top of the sixth, Point Loma Nazarene took the lead with another three-spot in the bottom of the frame. With one out, the Sea Lions hit three-straight singles, the last one by Ian MacMaster giving PLNU a 4-3 lead. Justin Rodriguez relieved Baas and got a strikeout, but Tim Nolan came on and gave up a two-run single to Kaohi Downing to make it 6-4.
Biola was able to get a run back in the top of the seventh, but Kevin Soares came on and got the final two outs of the inning to give the Sea Lions the win.
Baas suffered the loss as he surrendered six runs on nine hits over 5-1/3 inning to drop to 5-2 on the season.
Biola returns home for a non-conference game against cross-town foe Whittier College at Eagles Diamond on Tuesday (Apr. 8) at 3:00 p.m.
