LA MIRADA, Calif. --- No. 3 Point Loma played the role of spoiler for Biola's GSAC and home opener on Tuesday afternoon, sweeping the Eagles 6-1 and 10-3 in a pair of conference games at Freedom Field.
The loss snapped Biola's three-game winning streak and dropped the Eagles to 8-6 on the season and to 0-2 in GSAC play. The Sea Lions improve to 10-0 and to 2-0 in the conference.
Biola had a tough time in its GSAC opener, pitted against one of the GSAC's best. However, the Eagles managed to hang close to the Sea Lions through the first game.
Biola starter Lyndsey Roberts was solid through the first six innings of the opener, matching the output of all-conference pitcher Tyler Lent of PLNU. Roberts allowed just two hits over the first five innings of the game while Lent scattered five hits.
Both teams got on the board in the sixth, the visiting Sea Lions first as Jill Schaffer drove home a lead-off walk with an RBI-single to make it 1-0. Roberts helped her own cause in the bottom of the frame, driving home
Sara Smith with an RBI-double to tie the score with two outs.
However, Point Loma broke the game open with a five-spot in the top of the seventh. Roberts got into an early jam allowing back-to-back singles. After a groundout put the runners at second and third with one out, it looked like Roberts may get out of the jam, coaxing a groundout which turned out to be an out at the plate.
With two out and runners at the corners, Jenel Guadagno struck the big blow of the inning, hitting a three-run home run to break the game open and make it 4-1.The Sea Lions would add two more runs in the inning, then retired the side in the bottom of the frame to wrap up the victory.
Roberts suffered the loss to fall to 4-3 while Lent improve to 9-0. Roberts was one of two Biola players to collect two hits in the game as well, going 2-for-2 with a walk.
Jillian Storm also added a pair of hits in four at bats.
Game two was nearly all Point Loma as the Sea Lions struck early with three runs in the top of the first of Biola starter
Kristin Larson. The Eagles did get one run back in the bottom of the second as Smith singled and eventually came around to score on an illegal pitch. However, despite three hits in the inning, Biola was unable to get any closer than 3-1 at the end of the inning.
The wheels came off for the Eagles in the fourth as PLNU scored five runs. Seven-straight batters reached base to open the inning for the Sea Lions, chasing Larson and giving the visitors an 8-1 lead.
Biola came back with a pair of runs to close the gap in the bottom of the fifth as
Brittany Bury drove home one with a fielder's choice groundout and Roberts forced in another run with a bases-loaded walk.
But the Sea Lions added a pair of runs in the top of the sixth to put the game back out of reach.
Storm again had a solid game, going 3-for-4 with a run scored to finish the day 5-for-8. Smith and
Lauren Gandy each added a pair of hits as well.
Biola doesn't have much time to think about the outcome, though, returning to action on Thursday for a GSAC doubleheader against Hope International University at Freedom Field. The twinbill begins at 1:00 p.m.