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Box Score 2 LA MIRADA, Calif. --- Biola struggled in nearly every facet of the game, dropping a GSAC doubleheader to Westmont College by scores of 16-3 and 5-1 on Saturday afternoon at Eagles Diamond.
The Eagles fall to 19-15 on the season and to 11-13 in GSAC play, suffering back-to-back losses for the first time in a month. The Warriors move to 18-16 and to 9-14 in conference play, snapping a seven-game conference losing streak.
Westmont combined to 21 runs on 28 hits in the doubleheader as the Biola pitching was unable to hold down the Warriors. In addition, the Eagles committed seven errors and--despite pounding out 20 hits of their own in the two games--could only score four runs. In addition, the Eagles left 21 runners on base in the doubleheader including 13 in game one.
Westmont opened the first game with a three-spot in the top of the first inning--all with two out. Biola answered back with a run in the bottom of the first, taking advantage of a Westmont error to tally the first run. But despite putting two on with two out, the Eagles could not tack on any more.
The Warriors added one in the second and another in the third before Biola could answer, taking advantage of another error to get another unearned run. Later in the third inning, the Eagles would load the bases with one out, but back-to-back strikeouts left them loaded.
Neither team scored over the next three inning, though the Eagles had runners at second and third with two out in the sixth, but couldn't find a clutch hit.
Westmont broke the game open with eight runs in the top of the seventh inning, taking advantage of three Biola errors and more sloppy defense. Just four of those runs were earned but only a pair of hits left the infield. One of those was a bases-clearing double by Chris Stroh which did much of the damage.
The Eagles got another run in the eighth inning, loading the bases with one out and scoring on a sacrifice fly. However, that would be it as two more Eagles were left on base.
Westmont put the finishing touches on the win with three runs in the ninth inning to finish with a 16-3 win.
Freshman Josh Staumont--coming off a two-hit, complete game win over GSAC-leading The Master's last week--allowed five runs on nine hits over 5-1/3 innings. He did record six strikeouts, but fell to 4-4.
The run total was the most allowed by the Eagles this season and the most allowed by Biola to Westmont in a game since 1996 when Biola lost 24-7 in La Mirada.
The Warriors again scored early and often in game two, tallying a run in the first inning for the third-straight game of the series. They would add one more in the second and three in the third to build an early 5-0 lead through three.
Biola had base runners in each of the first three innings, but couldn't score until the fourth. Sam Thorne opened the inning with a single and moved to second on a one-out single by James Petrilli. one out later, Sage Poland loaded the bases with an infield single and Tanner Swire drove home the first run with a single to right. But that would be all Biola would get as the Eagles left the bases loaded again.
The Eagles had just two hits the rest of the way--neither of which was able to move past first base--and saw the final six batters retired in order as Westmont picked up the 5-1 win.
Freshman Trevor Oaks allowed five runs--four earned--on 11 hits over seven innings, falling to 2-5 on the season.
Thorne was one of the bright spots for the Eagles, going 8-of-9 in the series with eight singles. The lone time he was retired in the series came in his first at bat of game two as he popped out in foul territory.
Biola looks to rebound next week, traveling to Phoenix to face Arizona Christian University in a GSAC series starting Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. The series concludes on Thursday with a doubleheader beginning at Noon.
