Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 PHOENIX, Ariz. --- The day began with a bang as
CeCe Luster became the Eagles' new all-time homerun leader with a leadoff blast in game one of Biola's two-game sweep of Arizona Christian.
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Luster's deep bomb was her 25
th career blast and broke the previous record of 24 set in 2009.
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The Eagles' offense was right on par throughout the day, putting up 12 on the Firestorm while the pitching held ACU to a goose egg and just four hits in the first game, while getting its second combined no-hitter of the season in game two.
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"Lately we have been leaving a lot of runners on base, so we decided to move the batting order around today in hopes of getting more runs across the plate," said Head Coach
Lorie Coleman. "It doesn't hurt to have CeCe break the homerun record in her first at bat of the day."
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The first game saw the Eagles get all the offense they could have possibly hoped for, winning in a shortened eight-run rule contest with a 9-0 score. Luster's homer started the scoring, but Biola got production from all over with seven extra-base hits coming from six different sources over their six innings of offense.
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Luster and
Kasey Hormel led the way with two RBI a piece, and Luster and Brook Madrid were the only Eagles to score more than one run, with two a piece.
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The team earned its eight-run margin in the top of the sixth with a four-run inning off of two of ACU's pitchers. This set up the 9-0 advantage heading into the bottom half, where
Shelby Jacobsen shutdown the Firestorm.
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Reba DePriest, Luster and Jacobsen combined to blank the Firestorm in the opener, allowing four hits and walking one as each pitcher lowered their ERA. They were each pitching to contact as they ended with just three strikeouts.
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Game two was a different script as the Eagles' offense slowed down, but Luster and DePriest turned up the heat as they got nine strikeouts on the way to their no-hitter.
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"Our pitching staff was awesome," said Coleman. "They pitched a double no-hitter, which was what we needed to end our day strong."
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Kendra Perez threw a solid ballgame for the Firestorm, holding the Eagles to just one run through the first six innings.
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A
Heather Hall single, aided by some fielding mishaps that advanced her to third, opened the seventh inning. She was knocked home by a DePriest single, and then
Bria Madrid, who subbed back in for DePriest on the base paths, scored on a
Kimmy Triolo sacrifice fly to end the scoring.
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The sweep extends Biola's winning streak to four games and helps them improve to 26-6 (9-3 GSAC) to stay steady in second place in the Golden State Athletic Conference. The Firestorm drops to 8-20 (1-11 GSAC) to stay in last place.
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The Eagles will go for five and six straight in a home doubleheader against San Diego Christian on Tuesday.