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Box Score 2 COSTA MESA, Calif. --- Despite allowing just four runs on seven hits in each game of Saturday's doubleheader, the Biola offense was unable to muster enough to pull out the win, falling 4-3 in 12 innings and 4-2 in seven as Vanguard completed the sweep of a three-game GSAC series.
The Eagles drop to 25-23 on the season and to 13-20 in conference play, falling into seventh place in the GSAC standings. The Lions improve to 21-25 and ahead of Biola at 14-19 in the GSAC.
Biola received solid pitching performances from its pair of freshman. In the first game of the doubleheader, Josh Staumont went beyond the norm, throwing 10-2/3 innings, allowing three runs on six hits with nine strikeouts, leaving after throwing 134 pitches.
His one big mistake in the first game cane in the fourth inning when Taylor McKnight broke a scoreless tie with a two-run home run. However, he would allow just one more hit over the next four innings while Biola pulled back into the game.
In the top of the sixth, the Eagles got a run on the board. Johnny Farrington opened the inning with a walk and moved to second on a bunt single by Benji Sutherland. Sam Thorne then loaded the bases with single through the left side with no one out. Vince Lawrence then got an RBI on a ground out.
In the eighth, the Eagles tied up the game as Michael Annunziata singled home a run to tie the game. Biola would go ahead with a run in the top of the ninth. Paul Slater opened the inning by being hit by a pitch. Farrington sacrificed him to second and a single by Benji Sutherland put runners on the corners with one out. Thorne followed with a sacrifice fly to make it 3-2.
However, the Lions would tie the game in the ninth with a sacrifice fly to their own to force extra innings. Vanguard would get a double to lead off the inning--just the first hit four innings by the Lions.
Biola had a great chance to score in the 11th, loading the bases with one out. However, a pair of pop outs on the infield ended the inning with the score still tied. In the bottom of the 12th, the Lions opened the frame with a single and a Biola error allowed the run to score and end the game.
Garett Picha was saddled with the loss, allowing the unearned run and falling to 0-2 on the season.
Biola scored the first run of game two, as Thorne singled home Slater to make it 1-0 early on.
But the lead was short-lived as Vanguard would scored two unearned runs in the first and then two earned in tens second to take a 4-1 lead.
Would rally in the fourth and get one run back as Annuzniata opened the inning with a triple and scored on a single by James Petrilli. However, that would be the last hit for the Eagles the rest of the way as Biola fell 4-2.
Trevor Oaks went the distance, allowing just two earned run-on seven hits with three strikeouts while throwing 78 pitches.
Biola closes out the regular season with a three-game series at San Diego Christian College on Friday and Saturday.
