BOX SCORE

RIVERSIDE, Calif. — Biola University staved off elimination with a 7-3 win over Cal State San Marcos University in the third game of the NAIA Region II Softball Tournament on Tuesday afternoon at John C. Funk Field in Riverside.

The Eagles improve to 26-24 on the season and advance to play the loser of the final game of the day between No. 1 Cal Baptist and No. 2 Point Loma Nazarene. Biola lost its first game of the tournament 5-1 to Point Loma earlier in the day. The Cougars end the season at 27-19.

Cal State San Marcos got on the board with a run in the bottom of the first inning on an RBI-single by Shanti Poston to score Karen Morizi, who reached on an error.

Biola came right back with three runs in the top of the second. With runners at first and second with one out, freshman Erika Moyer singled to score Jillian Storm, who was pinch-running for Keena Levert. Pinch-hitter Lyndsie Roberts then stepped up and drove a seeing-eye single up the middle to score two runs and make it 3-1 Biola.

Cal State San Marcos tied the score with a two-run single by Poston in the bottom of the third.

But the Eagles took the lead back in the top of fourth as Moyer hit a one-out double and came around to score on a single by Roberts.

Biola broke the game open with three runs in the top of the seventh inning, taking advantage of two errors and a wild pitch by the Cougars. Sarah Jensen and Jacqie Hudson led the inning off with singles. Jensen came around on a wild pitch and Hudson came around on a sacrifice fly to make it 6-3. Keena Levert then followed that with a solo home run to left field to cap the scoring.

In addition to combining to produce all four of Biola's early runs, the two also combined to hold the Cougars to just three runs. Moyer started the game, going three innings while Roberts pitched the final four and earned the win. Emily Gray came on to pitch the final inning for the Eagles.

The Eagles are making their fourth-straight trip to the NAIA Region II tournament and have won at least one game at the tournament each time. Biola will need to win the tournament in order to advance to the NAIA Softball World Series.