LA MIRADA, Calif. --- Biola got back on track after a rough, long road trip, taking a non-conference doubleheader from La Sierra University by scores of 6-1 and 7-1 on Friday afternoon at Freedom Field.
The Eagles pick up their third-straight win to improve to 4-6 on the season while dropping the Golden Eagles to 2-18.
Biola pounded out 13 runs 20 hits in the two games of the doubleheader and received solid pitching throughout.
The Eagles jumped all over La Sierra in the first inning of game one, scoring four quick runs. Vanessa Coleman and Celina Thornton got the ball rolling with bases-loaded singles to plate the first two runs. After a wild pitch scored another, Natalie Parker hit a sacrifice fly to make it a 4-0 game.
Biola would get another in the second as Sarah Stromwall singled, moved to second on a wild pitch and reached third on a single by Chelsea Limm. Limm was later thrown out trying to steal second, but stayed in a rundown long enough to allow Stromwall to score from third.
Freshman pitcher Sarah Enriquez struggled a bit in the second and third innings, with La Sierra scoring its lone run of the game in the third on a suicide squeeze play. However, she calmed down after that, allowing just one baserunner over the course of the final four innings.
Meanwhile, the Eagles added one more insurance run in the fifth as Leslie Larson led off the frame with a single and eventually came around to score on a throwing error.
Enriquez would pick up the win, allowing one run on four hits while striking out three to improve to 2-3 on the season.
In the second game, the Eagles again picked up an early lead with a run in the first. Limm led off the Biola half of the inning with a triple to right center and came around to score on a sacrifice fly by CeCe Luster to make it 1-0.
The Eagles tallied three more runs in the third inning to break the game open. Sam Roberts led off with a double moved to third on a sacrifice and scored on a double by Limm. Two batters later, Luster doubled down the left field line to plate Limm, then came around to score after back to back singles by Parker and Larson.
Luster capped off the solid day offensively by blasting a two-run home run well over the center field fence in the fifth inning to finish with four RBIs on the day. She was also the winning pitcher in game two, going six innings and allowing just one run on five hits while striking out five. Sam Roberts came on in the seventh and closed out the game with a 1-2-3 inning.
Biola had four players collect three hits each in the doubleheader, led by Luster, who was 3-for-5 with a home run, four RBIs, three runs scored and a stolen base. Stromwall also went 3-for-5 with a double while Parker went 3-for-5 as well. Limm went 3-for-6 overall with a double, triple, three runs scored and one driven in.
The Eagles return to the field on Saturday, hosting Northwest Christian University (Ore.) in a non-conference doubleheader with first pitch slated for 12:00 p.m.
