LA MIRADA, Calif. --- Biola's offense erupted for 16 runs in the first game of a GSAC doubleheader against Hope International University in a 16-3 five-inning win to open the day before falling 5-4 in the nightcap at Freedom Field on Thursday.
The Eagles end the day at 11-15 and are now 1-3 in conference play. The Royals are also 1-3 in the GSAC and are 17-15 overall.
Biola got the day off to a great start with a seven-run first inning in game one. After two quick outs to start the frame, the Eagles got going with a single by CeCe Luster. Natalie Parker and Leslie Larson drew walks to load the bases and Vanessa Coleman clear them with a double to center. Ashley Spadt followed with a single to left to bring around Coleman and make it 4-0.
Sarah Stromwell and Celina Thornton kept the rally going with singles to re-load the bases and again a double would clear them as Chelsea Limm brought home three with a double to center. However, she was thrown out trying to stretch it to a triple and the inning ended with Biola up 7-0.
The Eagles added four more runs in the second inning, batting around for the second time in as many innings. Brooke Madrid opened the inning with a single and came around to score on a double by Luster. Parker followed with a double to bring home another one and moved to third on a single by Leslie Larson. After a walk and a wild pitch scored a run, Spadt drove home another run with a single to make it 11-0 at the end of the second.
After Hope got on the board with an unearned run in the top of the third, Biola scored twice in the bottom of the inning. Madrid singled to lead off the frame and was moved to third on a double by Luster. Parker drove home another run with a double to right, putting runners back at second and third with no one out. After a ground out, Coleman drove home another run with a sacrifice fly to make it 13-1 after three.
Biola capped its scoring in the fourth as Luster put the finishing touches on a fantastic game with a three-run home run to left to give the Eagles a 16-1 lead.
Hope would get two back in the top of the fifth before the game was called at the end of the inning to the mercy rule.
Luster finished the game going 4-for-4 with two doubles, a home run, four runs scored and four RBIs. Parker was 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles and two RBIs as well. Coleman officially was 1-for-1 with a walk, a sacrifice fly, a double and four RBIs.
The 16 runs were the most scored by the Eagles since beating Chaminade University (Hawaii) 21-1 on April 10, 2007.
Biola likely wished it could have saved a few of those runs for the second game, falling by one run at the end. Hope got the jump on the Eagles with four runs in the top of the first, getting three-straight two-out hits to take the early lead.
Biola got one back in the bottom of the inning on an RBI-single by CeCe Luster. The Eagles then pulled within one with a pair of runs in the second inning. Spadt started the frame off with a double to center and came around on an infield groundout. After a single by Madrid loaded the bases, Luster drew a walk to bring home a run. But the Royals worked out of the jam by getting a pair of outs to make it a 4-3 game.
Hope got some insurance in the top of the fifth, taking advantage of an error with one out to start the inning. After a single and a ground out, the Royals got a clutch two-out single to plate the fifth run.
Biola throated one final time in the bottom of the sixth as Limm opened the inning with a single. She was moved to second on a bunt and went to third on a single by Luster. But Luster was caught trying to steal second though Limm was able to score on the play, ending the threat with Biola still a run short.
The Eagles would go down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the seventh and fell 5-4.
Luster suffered the loss--about the only negative thing for the sophomore that day. She ended up going 6-for-7 with six RBIs, giving her 33 on the season. She is halfway to her school record of 66 and has either scored or driven in 52 of Biola's 110 runs this season--nearly 48% of the team's total.
Biola takes a bit of a break, returning next week with three doubleheaders in three days. The first is a tough matchup on Tuesday as the Eagles host No. 8 Concordia in a GSAC doubleheader at 2:00 p.m. at Freedom Field.
