Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
LA MIRADA, Calif. --- It is never fun to see another team celebrate a championship on your home field, like Biola had to endure after two losses to No. 7 San Diego Christian on Saturday, but the silver lining was the good feelings floating around as seven Eagles celebrated their senior day.
 
While Biola did not have the most successful season in program history, it was still one in which the players and coaches all got to learn a little something, even in the course of today's 8-3 and 16-0 losses.
 
"The year did not go as we would have liked," said Head Coach Jay Sullenger. "But, there is a lot more to be learned in the valleys than there is on the mountaintops at times."
 
Biola was not able to hold off a San Diego Christian offensive attack, which proved why the Hawks are considered one of the top-10 teams in the nation. SDC went deep six times on the day, and none of those were cheap shots as they just piled on the runs in an attempt to secure their Golden State Athletic Conference title.
 
Once the second game became a complete blowout the focus shifted to having fun on the diamond and getting as much time in for the seniors as possible. Bryan Castelli saw some time at second base, Johnny Farrington got an inning on the mound and Sage Poland even spent an inning at shortstop; he didn't get any fielding attempts though.
 
One of the highlights of the second game came when Castelli made an over-the-shoulder basket catch running into right center field to end the sixth inning. It was a play that even the most seasoned second baseman would have trouble making. It proved once again what this senior class was all about, working hard and enjoying the game.
 
"Those seniors that we are sending away, it's been great to have them as a part of the program," said Sullenger. "We will pray for them as they go forward, but as I mentioned to them the Biola baseball family does not change whether you are on the field or off of it. You are always a part of the family."
 
The two losses ended Biola's season at 15-39 and saddled Jesse Yancosek and Eric Diomartich with one more loss each, while SDC's starters both did a great job of working deep into the games and both earned wins. The Hawks end their season with a 37-16 mark, and they will progress into the NAIA National Tournament.
 
The final records are a little deceiving, because Biola is really in the middle of playing its best baseball of the season right now. After a difficult 10-game losing streak in the middle of conference play the Eagles righted the ship and had a great end of the year against numerous ranked opponents. Biola went 7-15 over its last 22 contests after the long losing streak.
 
"We had a tough middle of the year, and I really wanted to see things turn around," said Sullenger. "We played a lot better. Over the last four weekends we really played well. We won two of the four series and took wins off three ranked opponents. We had a really tough finish to our schedule, but we played our best baseball."
 
Today was the final time that Michael Annunziata, Castelli, Johnny and Boone Farrington, Luke Klocek, David McNeill and Poland would lace up the cleats for the Eagles, and they were honored with a ceremony between games.
 
The seniors had a good day, combining for 11 hits, two runs, two RBI and 5.2 innings on the hill as Biola finished this series with one win in the three contests.
 
"You want to send these guys out on a high note, and I guess for us our high note was yesterday," said Sullenger.