Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 LA MIRADA, Calif. --- Biola closed out the 2012 season with another hard-fought battle against a top-ranked team, but could not pull off the upset, falling 8-5 and 9-1 to No. 8 Azusa Pacific University on Saturday afternoon at Freedom Field.

The Eagles wrap up the year with a 15-29 record and 1-15 in GSAC play. The Cougars finish the regular season at 38-8 and 12-4 in the conference.

Biola had another shot at pulling off an upset over its arch-rival less than a month after coming within one out of an upset in Azusa. This time, the Eagles kept up with the Cougars through much of game one, but couldn't pull it out at the end.

Azusa struck first with two runs in the top of the first inning on a two-out, two-RBI single by Brandi Andrews.

The Eagles responded with a run in the bottom of the inning on a two-out single of their own, a shot up the middle by Natalie Parker.

The Cougars got two more runs in the third on a home run by Erika Marmolejo. But Biola responded in kind as Parker came through with another big hit, a two-run single to right to make it 4-3.

Azusa Pacific recorded two more runs in the fourth and added one in the sixth and looked to be cruising. But the Eagles rallied one final time. In the sixth, Biola took advantage of a pair of errors to tally two runs and loaded the bases with two out. However, the Cougars worked out of the jam with a groundout and tacked one another run for insurance in the seventh.

The Eagles were without normal second-game starter CeCe Luster, who suffered an arm injury during the week. The ball was passed to Sam Roberts, who had a tough time keeping down the hot-hitting Cougars.

Azusa Pacific scored one in the first and added three in the third inning. The Cougars would add another in the fourth and another in the fifth. Biola couldn't solve APU starter Rita Kim who allowed just one hit over five innings.

The Cougars would wrap up the game early with three runs in the sixth.

Biola would get its first run in the bottom of the sixth, trying to fight off the mercy rule with a late rally. With one out, Brooke Madrid singled up the middle and came around to score on a deep double to center off the bat of Luster, who can still swing the bat.

However, the Eagles could not push across a much-needed run and lost 9-1 in six innings.

Luster finished the season with a .434 batting average, the seventh-best single-season mark in Biola softball history. Her 10 home runs moved her into a tie for second on the all-time list after just two seasons. She also currently has the highest career slugging percentage in program history at .682.

Today's doubleheader served as the final game for Biola's lone senior: Leslie Larson. Larson, who has been a part of the program for five seasons, was honored before the game with a special ceremony.