GAME ONE BOX SCORE | GAME TWO BOX SCORE
LA MIRADA, Calif. — Keena Levert hit a three-run home run and Lyndsie Roberts tossed a four-hit shutout as Biola won the second game of a non-conference doubleheader 4-0 over Cal State San Marcos after falling 4-2 in the opener on Saturday afternoon at Freedom Field in La Mirada.
The Eagles move to 18-18 on the season and earn a split with the Cougars in the four-game season series. CSUSM finishes the day with a 23-11 overall mark.
Roberts was masterful in the second game of the doubleheader, not allowing a hit until the fourth inning and snuffing out any potential Cougar rally thanks to the strong defense behind her. Meanwhile, Levert provided the bulk of the offense with a three-run home run in the first inning.
The Eagles got things going in the second game with singles by Sarah Jensen and Krista Johnson. Levert then stepped up and deposited the first pitch she saw over the left field fence to put Biola up 3-0 early.
Biola would add another run in the bottom of the fourth as Lauren Gandy reached on a one-out single to left. She then stole second and was sacrificed to third with two outs, then scored as the throw back by the CSUSM catcher got away from the pitcher during the next at bat.
The Cougars' best chance of the game came in the top of the sixth inning when their first two batters reached base on singles. However, Roberts was able to get a line drive off the bat of Elizabeth Bush right to Johnson at short who underhanded to Gandy for the doubleplay.
Roberts improves to 8-4 on the season with the victory while Melissa Lerno suffered the loss to drop to 9-5.
Biola figured out Lerno early on in the second game, but was baffled by the junior pitcher in game one. She allowed two runs–one earned–on three hits while striking out eight over seven innings to win the first.
The Cougars scored an unearned run in the top of the first to get on the board early as Shanti Poston drove home Bush with a two-out single.
The Eagles came right back with one in the bottom of the inning, taking advantage of a pair of errors by San Marcos to knot the game at 1-1.
Cal State San Marcos came right back with a run in the top of the second. Lauren Nelson opened the inning with a single and came around to score on a Biola error after a single by Lise Leibl.
The Cougars picked up their final two runs on another error by the Eagles in the fourth inning to make it 4-1.
Biola got a run back in the bottom of the inning as Jacqie Hudson and Johnson hit back-to-back one-out singles to start the rally. With two outs, Jillian Storm drew a walk to load the bases, then Morgan Facchini got an RBI the hard way as she was hit by a pitch.
Erica Moyet suffered the loss in the game despite allowing just one earned run and five hits over four innings. Emily Gray continued her strong pitching, retiring nine straight batters over the final three innings to keep Biola in the game.
Johnson finished the day going 3-for-6 to raise her team-best batting average to .409 on the season.
The Eagles got a scare very early in the first game as Gandy and Sara Smith collided while going for a short popup behind second base. Smith lost a few teeth and suffered a mild concussion in the collision but is expected to be ready for Biola's next game.
Biola travels to Riverside on Tuesday (Apr. 8) to face No. 1 California Baptist in a GSAC doubleheader beginning at 2:00 p.m.
