Box Score LA MIRADA, Calif. --- Sloppy defense led to six unearned runs over the final three innings including four in a six-run ninth as Biola blew a late lead in a 9-7 loss to Cal State Dominguez Hills in a non-conference game on Tuesday afternoon at Eagles Diamond.
The Eagles suffer their fourth loss in their last five games and drop to 4-5 on the season. The Toros improve to 2-1.
Biola took a 6-3 lead into the bottom of the ninth inning, but its pitching and defense fell apart. After a leadoff double, back-to-back infield errors allowed the first run to score and the Toros would load the bases with a single.
A two-run single up the middle by Matthew Young would tie the game and Drew Rodela's double would plate Young to give Cal State Dominguez Hills a lead. The Toros would add two more runs including one off another bad fielding play which didn't result in an error, but still allowed CSUDH to go up 9-6.
Biola would get one of those back in the bottom of the ninth and despite having the winning run at the plate twice, could not pull out the miracle.
The game got off to a slow start with the teams combining for two runs on two hits through the first five innings--one run each.
But things picked up in the bottom of the sixth as Biola scored three times to take a 4-1 lead. With one out, Benji Sutherland singled, stole second and moved to third on an infield single by Vinnie Fayard. Mac Sullivan drove home the tie-breaking run with a single up the middle. Wesley Cottier brought home two more runs with a two-run single through the left-side to make it 4-1.
The Toros got two of those runs back in the seventh, taking advantage of a Biola error to do so. With two and runners at second and third, a fielding error at third extended the inning and Carlos Avila made them pay with a two-run double to right center to make it 4-3.
But Biola got a pair of insurance runs in the eighth as Nick Covyeau drove home one on a single and a passed ball accounted for the other.
The insurance wasn't enough, though as the Toros scored their six runs to take the lead and eventually win.
Covyeau drove home the first Biola run with his third home run of the season to lead off the second inning. That was in response to Cal State Dominguez Hills' first inning tally on an RBI-groundout.
The loss spoiled a near perfect outing by Nick Turner, who went six innings and allowed just one run on two hits while striking out six and walking one. It is the second time this season he has left a solid start with the lead but ended up with a no decision.
Biola heads back out on the road to play four games in Redding this weekend. First up is a game against perennial power University of British Columbia on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. The Eagles will face UBC again on Friday followed by a game against Simpson University later that night. Biola closes out the trip with a game against Simpson on Saturday before heading home.
