LA MIRADA, Calif. --- No. 13 Concordia University swept a GSAC doubleheader against Biola University by scores of 3-2 and 6-2 on Saturday afternoon at Freedom Field in the final regular season games for both teams.

Biola falls to 19-20 on the season and wraps up fifth place in the GSAC with a 9-15 record. Concordia, one of the big surprise teams in the conference this year, finished at 38-18 and takes third place in the conference at 15-9.

Both teams will be headed for the GSAC Tournament starting on Tuesday (Apr. 28). More information on the tournament seedings and schedule will be available later.

Concordia got off to a quick start in game one, scoring once in the first and twice in the second to jump out to a 3-0 lead.

Katie Carson opened the game for CUI with a triple down the right field line. Alicia Lucatero then singled her home to make it 1-0. In the second, Melanie Hansen crushed a two-run home run to left field as Concordia went up by three.

Biola got one run back in the bottom of the third. Jillian Storm opened the inning reaching on an error. She then stole second, reached third on a ground out and scored on a single up the middle by Krista Johnson.

The Eagles would pull within one in the sixth inning and nearly struck for more. Keena Levert started things off with an infield single and was sacrificed to second. Kacie Lyding then followed with a blooper into right center field and hussled into second base to put two in scoring position. One out later, Storm drew a walk which loaded the bases and all three runners moved up 60 feet on a wild pitch which made it 3-2. 

Concordia intentionally walked Sara Smith to reload the bases. Lyndsie Roberts then stepped up and sent a shot down the right field line which was snared by the CUI first baseman to end the threat.

The Eagles then went down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the seventh as Concordia held on for the win.

Roberts (10-7) suffered the loss, allowing just three runs on four hits and striking out seven. Rachel Reekstin (13-8) picked up the win. She gave up an unearned run on four hits over five innings. Sarah Frudakis worked the final two innings to earn Concordia's first save of the year.

In the second game, the two teams were each tossing up zeroes through the first four innings. Biola starter Kristin Larson gave up just two hits while Concordia's Laura Wiens allowed two hits and three walks through the first four frames. However, the teams combined for seven runs in the fifth inning with Concordia erupting for five of those.

With two out and a runner at second, Larson allowed back-to-back walks to load the bases. Alicia Lucatero was then hit by a pitch to force in the first run of the game. Jennifer Simons then broke the game open with a two-run single to make it 3-0. Erica Moyer then came on in relief of Larson, but allowed a wild pitch and a double before recording the final out of the inning.

Biola wasted no time in cutting the deficit with two runs in the bottom of the fifth. Storm reached base with two outs on a single to right and advanced to second on a throwing error. Smith then drove her home with a single to left-center for Biola's first run of the game. After Johnson reached on a single to right, a fielding error by the Concordia second baseman allowed Smith to come all the way around and score. With the tying runs on base, Levert stepped up a drove a long drive to left, but it fell into the waiting glove of the left fielder to end the threat.

Concordia would add one more run in the top of the seventh, but Biola was able to muster just two baserunners against Reekstin who entered the game in the sixth. She would wrap up the game to earn the second save of the day and of the season for Concordia. Larson took the loss and fell to 4-7.

Smith finished the day with three hits in six at-bats and Johnson went 3-for-8 on the afternoon to pace Biola.

As mentioned before, both teams have secured spots in the GSAC Tournament, which begins on Tuesday (Apr. 28). The first-year tournament takes on an interesting format. There will be a pair of play-in games on Tuesday. The first will be between No. 5 Biola and No. 4 Azusa Pacific at Cal Baptist. The other will be between No. 6 Vanguard and No. 3 Concordia at Point Loma. The winners of the play-in games then take on the site hosts in a best 2-of-3 series on Tuesday and Wednesday. 

The winners of those two series advance to the GSAC Tournament Championships Series on Friday and Saturday. The best 2-of-3 series will take place at California Baptist.