Box Score LA MIRADA, Calif. --- The offensive drought that has plagued Biola's hitters since the beginning of the year seemed to be lifted. It seemed as if the Heavens had opened and it was about to rain down floods of runs, but it was all just a mirage.

Instead, despite getting the bases loaded in three of the first four innings and having a runner reach scoring position in each of the four innings, the Eagles drop to 8-22 after the 9-3 loss extends their losing streak to nine games.

"I feel like I've now seen several games like this," said Head Coach Jay Sullenger. "We gave ourselves plenty of opportunities and just couldn't take advantage of them. Even in the first inning where we score two runs, we should have scored more than that."

It was a painful opening inning to watch as Biola loaded the bases without any outs and then was only able to score twice on two sacrifice-type batted balls before getting three outs and losing their chance to take a dominant early lead for their starter, Konanui Olson.

The two runs seemed to be holding up strong through the first few innings as Olson did well the first time through the order because he was throwing plenty of strikes to the Cougars' hitters.

He held CSUSM at bay until the Cougars pounced on him for three runs in the third inning and again for a fourth tally early in the top half of the fourth inning.

Ultimately that would be all they really needed, as despite getting on base 15 times in the contest, Biola was only able to muster one more run. Their final run came when Jimmy Gallarda took a bases-loaded walk to push one home in the bottom half of the fourth inning.

The walk gave Gallarda an RBI, which was solid for a freshman who had a good day at the plate, and also on the mound for Sullenger. Gallarda was 2-for-4 with an RBI and a walk and also logged two innings on the mound for Sullenger, who is trying to overcome a depleted bullpen.

"Based on the situation and where we are right now I just wanted to give some guys an opportunity to play," said Sullenger. "It gave us a look at some adjustments we need to make in the latter half of the season. It was nice to see some good at bats out of those guys. Jimmy took some good at bats."

In addition to Gallarda, Sean McCarrell, Andrew Frank and Daniel Rasmussen each got some solid playing time in the losing effort.

Those four young guys combined to go 4-for-13 on the afternoon and accounted for nearly half of Biola's hits. Not a bad experiment.

"The brightest spot in there for me was Sean. He took some good at bats and played well at second," said Sullenger.

It was interesting day on the mound as each team used four-plus hurlers. By far the most effective pitcher on the day earned the win, and that was CSUSM's Addison Domingo. Domingo went a sneaky-quick 4.1 innings in relief and held Biola to just two hits during that span.

Sullenger used Olson and Gallarda in addition to Sean Rothfuss and Bryan Castelli. Castelli pitched only the ninth inning, but was the only Eagles' pitcher to go without surrendering a run.

Gallarda was not the only Biola batter to record multiple hits, as Rob Groeschell notched a double and a single and Boone Farrington went 2-for-3 with two walks to extend his hitting streak.

"Boone is a guy that is a baseball rat as they call them," said Sullenger. "He is around the game all the time. He is a guy that always works hard and he has made some good adjustments. He has taken some great at bats and is a guy who is starting to show he can be that three-hole guy in our lineup to sure things up."

The hits did not help the Eagles' chances much today, but the hope for continual offensive progression is there headed into the weekend series against No. 12 The Master's College.

The three-game Golden State Athletic Conference Series begins this Friday at 3:00 p.m.