Box Score LA MIRADA, Calif. ---
Nick Turner continued his dominance of GSAC opponents, throwing a complete game three-hitter as Biola defeated Westmont College 4-1 in the first game of the three game series on Friday night at Eagles Diamond.
The Eagles pick up their fourth win in their last five games to improve to 19-13 on the season and even their record in GSAC play at 11-11. The Warriors drop to 16-16 and suffer their seventh-straight GSAC loss to fall to 7-14 in conference.
Turner picked up his fourth-straight win, tossing a complete game and allowing just one run on three hits while striking out seven. The senior moves to 7-1 with a 1.75 ERA in GSAC games this year.
The only run against Turner came in the top of the first inning. The game started with a rarity: a walk by Turner--just his eighth walk of the year. After a single by Brandon Gildea--who had two of the three hits allowed by Turner--moved Spencer Ferdun to second and a fly out moved him to third, David Gabel brought him in with a sacrifice fly.
Biola struggled to score runs despite having a baserunner in every inning. In the second inning, Michael Annunziata and Sam Thorne started things off with singles, but a double play and a strikeout ended the threat.
The Eagles final got on the board in the fourth inning. With two out, Thorne got the rally going with a single up the middle. Pinch-runner Bryan Castelli moved into scoring position by stealing second base and moved to third on a single by James Petrilli. A wild pitch would bring home Castelli to tie the game at 1-1.
In the sixth, Biola took the lead as Annunziata singled to left and moved all the way to third on a pair of wild pitches. Thorne then drove him in with a single up the middle to give the Eagles the lead. Biola would end up loading the bases with two out, but a fielder's choice retired the side.
The Eagles added two big insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth inning. Thorne drew a walk to lead things off and was moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Petrilli. Michael Chriss doubled off the left-field wall to plate one run, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a sacrifice fly to make it 4-1.
Gildea snapped a string of 14-straight batters retired by Turner by hitting a single to lead off the ninth. After a wild pitch moved him to second, Turner appeared to get the first out with a strike out. The ball was in the dirt and catcher Sam Thorne appeared to tag Thomas Hocutt on the foot on his way to first. But the tag was missed and Hocutt reached first to extend the inning.
Gabel then drilled a shot right at third base where Chriss made the snag and threw over to first to double-up Hocutt. Turner then got a fly out on his 100th pitch of the game to give Biola the victory.
Throne led the offense by going 3-for-3 while Johnny Farrington went 2-for-2 with a sacrifice fly and a walk. Chriss added two hits in four at-bats as well.
The bottom of the order came up huge for the Eagles as the final five batters combined for all 10 hits in 16 at bats and accounted for all four runs.
The two teams return to the field on Saturday to close out the three-game series with a doubleheader beginning at 12:00 p.m.
