LA MIRADA, Calif. --- Biola baseball took on the Cougars of Azusa Pacific in a home-and-home four game series in the middle of February. The Eagles took three of four from APU, leaving the team in prime position to make a move up the standings in the Golden State Athletic Conference.

This four game set proved to be a turning point in the season for both teams. Following the series, Biola sat at 12-5 overall and APU dropped to 2-8. The Cougars would go on to lose six of their next seven and they eventually finished the year 19-30.

Strong pitching performances helped the Eagles cruise to a 27-10 scoring advantage in their three wins of the series. Josh Staumont was dominant in game three, working 8.1 innings and holding APU to just two runs on five hits. Staumont, a freshman, sat at 3-0 following his work on the mound in this series and would eventually finish the year at 6-6 with 109 strikouts.

It was not all about the men on the mound though, as All-GSAC outfielder Benji Sutherland and conference gold-glover Johnny Farrington sparked a hit parade for BU. The pair combined for four runs and 10 RBI over the four-game stretch.

Paul Slater also got in on the action for the Eagles, adding six hits, five runs and three RBI. It was Vince Lawrence who led the way offensively throughout the series, picking up eight hits and scoring four runs while driving in three more.

The three wins had the Eagles in a good spot within the GSAC, looking to make a run. They just could not sustain the momentum gained and eventually, due to some key non-conference losses, fell under the .500 mark. They finished the year 25-26 overall, 14-23 GSAC.


What is Turning Points?

Turning Points is a series highlighting the integral points from each Biola University sport's previous season. Moments can be considered turning points because they spark a winning streak, defeat a bitter rival, include a noteworthy personal achievement or mark a significant team accomplishment. Over the course of the next three weeks, an article will post each weekday illustrating a new turning point.