Box Score DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. --- Biola's offense was slow to adjust to the long trip to Florida, showing up in the ninth inning for a last-chance rally. However it proved to be too little, too late as the Eagles fell 6-3 to Auburn University-Montgomery at the NAIA Opening Round-Daytona Beach Bracket on Thursday afternoon.
Biola falls to 26-28 on the season with the loss and falls into the consolation bracket, facing the No. 4 tournament seed Southern Poly (Ga.) at 10:00 am (ET) on Friday morning.
Biola starter Nick Turner turned in a solid performance, allowing just four earned runs--six total--over 6-2/3 innings. However, the Biola offense was not able to keep up.
The Eagles opened the game with back-to-back hits from Benji Sutherland and Johnny Farrington. However, an infield ground out followed by a double play quickly ended the threat.
The Warhawks got off to a quick start, scoring three times in the first inning. With one run in, a Biola error allowed two more runs to score to make it 3-0 after one.
The Eagles would string together another pair of hits in the fourth inning, putting two on with two out. However, a baserunning error snuffed out the rally and kept the score at 3-0.
Those two hits would be the only Biola baserunners between the second and eighth innings as AUM starter Cory McGinnis baffled the Biola hitters. Meanwhile, the Warhawks added a run in the fifth two more in the seventh to make it a 6-0 lead.
Biola finally got the offense going in the ninth inning. Sutherland led off the inning with a walk to end the day for McGinnis. Farrington followed with a single up the middle and Fayard then singled home the Eagles' first run. A walk to Drake Fages loaded the bases and brought on the Auburn-Montgomery closer Michael Carden.
Carden walked the next batter, Mac Sullivan, to bring home the second run of the frame and bring the tying run to the plate in Nick Covyeau. Covyeau then hit a hard ground ball which ended up going right to the second baseman who turned a double play. A run would score to cut the lead to three and a walk to Michael Annunziata then brought the tying run to the plate again in Mike Lopez. However, Lopez would strike out to end the threat and the game.
Farrington went 2-for-4 in the game and was the only Eagle to collect more than one hit as Biola had just six in the game. McGinnis improved to 6-4 with the win, allowing one run on four hits over eight innings.
Turner took the loss, surrendering 11 hits and six runs, just four earned while striking out six.
Biola returns to action on Friday morning now needing to win four games to take the Opening Round title and advancing to the NAIA World Series. Should the Eagles win on Friday morning, they would play another loser-out game at 6:00 pm ET against the No. 5 seed Siena Heights (Mich.).
