ORANGE, Calif. --- Keena Levert hit a pair of home runs and Krista Johnson blasted a grand slam as Biola defeated Hamline University (Minn.) 15-0 in the second of two games at the SunWest Tournament at Peralta Park on Thursday. The Eagles lost the first game 4-0 to NCAA Division III No. 3-ranked St. Thomas University (Minn.).

Biola (13-12) scored a season-high 15 runs in a run-rule shortened game, collecting 12 hits in the game including the aforementioned home runs. In addition to the long-balls, senior Kacie Lyding went 3-for-4 with a school-record three triples. 

The Eagles struck early with six runs in the first inning. Lyding drove in the first run with a triple to centerfield and scored on Levert's first home run of the day. Kristin Larson and Morgan Facchini sandwiched hits around a Hamline error to load the bases. Leslie Larson then followed with a walk to force in a run and a single to left by Brittany Bury brought in another. Krista Johnson earned an RBI the hard way, being hit by a pitch to force in a run and cap the scoring in the first.

Biola would get just one in the second inning, though it was a big one as Levert crushed her second homer of the game to centerfield to make it a 7-0 game.

In the third, Biola scored another run on a throwing error on a pair of errors. Then, Lyding picked up her second triple of the game to drive home Lauren Gandy and came around to score on a ground out by Levert.

The Eagles closed out the scoring in a big way in the fourth. Jillian Albert opened the inning with a single. With one out, Leslie Larson drew a walk followed by an infield single by Bury. Johnson then broke the game wide open with a grand slam home run to dead centerfield. With two out, Lyding then recorded her third triple of the game and came around to score on a single by Levert. Levert collected three hits in four at-bats, but drove in five runs--including at least one in each plate appearance.

Meanwhile, Kristin Larson was pitching well, allowing just two hits and striking out four over four innings to improve to 2-4 on the season. 

In the first game of the day, Biola came up against one of the best teams in the NCAA Division III rankings and one of the best pitchers in DIII in Marta Radcliffe. Radcliffe allowed just one hit over seven innings, striking out eight and facing the minimum to lead St. Thomas to the 4-0 win.

Biola starter Lyndsie Roberts pitched well in opposition, allowing four runs on four hits over six innings, though just one of the runs against her was earned. She also had six strikeouts in the game.

St. Thomas struck first, scoring a run without a hit. Kaitlyn Wightman led off the game being hit by a pitch and was sacrificed to second. After a strikeout, the Wightman came around to score on a failed pick off attempt to second.

The game remained 1-0 until the sixth when St. Thomas picked up three more runs to break the game open. After a fielding error allowed a runner to reach second to open the inning, Alison Wright drove in the second run of the game with a single down the leftfield line. One out later, Morgan Betker drove home Wright with a double. She would come around to score on a suicide squeeze two batters later.

Biola would manage just one hit in the game. That was a one-out single by Jillian Storm. However, she was caught stealing during the next at bat.  

The Eagles return to GSAC play on Saturday (Mar. 28), traveling to San Diego to face No. 3 Point Loma Nazarene beginning at Noon.