Box Score LA MIRADA, Calif. --- Biola's offense continued its early-season roll as the Eagles posted a 16-2 victory over Bethesda University on Wednesday afternoon at Eagles Diamond in its final tuneup before starting GSAC play next week.
The Eagles improve to 3-0 on the season while dropping the Flames to 0-3.
Biola offense pounded out 16 runs on 18 hits over the game which was called after 7-1/2 innings due to darkness. The top of the order was key as Paul Slater, Johnny Farrington, Luke Klocek, Benji Sutherland and Sam Thorne combined for 10 of those hits, reaching base a total of 15 times in the game.
The Eagles got off to a bit of a slow start, falling behind 1-0 after Bethesda scored once in the top of the first. Biola added two runs in the bottom of the inning as Klocek and Thorne each had RBI doubles.
But neither team scored until the fourth inning when Biola scored on an RBI single by Michael Annunziata to make it 3-1.
The Eagles added three more runs in the fifth inning thanks to a pair of RBI singles from David McNeill and James Petrilli which followed Slater's steal of home on a double-steal with Klockek.
Bethesda tallied an unearned run in the top of the sixth, but Biola broke the game open with six runs in the bottom of the frame--the second time in three games the Eagles have scored six in the sixth. Farrington drove home the first run with a single to right followed by a two-run double off the bat of Klocek.
Two batters later, the Eagles got a run on a Bethesda error to make it 10-2. Sage Poland would drive home another run with a single and Slater capped the inning with an RBI the hard way--getting hit by a pitch.
Biola added four runs in the seventh with a two-run single by Poland and RBI singles from Tanner Swire and Nick Oddo would account for the final scoring.
The Eagles had seven pitchers take to the mound in the game with just one going more than an inning. That was Bryan Catelli, who allowed on hit and struck out three over two innings to pick up his first Biola victory. After the first inning, Biola's pitchers would allow just one hit the rest of the way while striking out eight.
The Eagles have outscored its opponents 39-7 through three games this year, averaging 13 runs on 15 hits so far this year.
The game was the final contest before Biola opens GSAC play on Friday and Saturday with a three-game series against The Master's College. Game one is at 2:00 p.m. on Friday with a Saturday doubleheader beginning at 11:00 a.m. An audio broadcast is available for all three games through the Biola Athletics website.
