Box Score
IRVINE, Calif. --- All season long adversity, hurdles and hardships have plagued this 2015 Biola Softball team. Perseverance and faith have been the hallmarks of the squad and those very same attributes carried the Eagles through an up-and-down GSAC Tournament Semifinal against No. 6-seeded San Diego Christian.
 
Biola ultimately used an Ashley Spadt single up the middle to break a 6-6 tie in the bottom of the seventh and walk off with a 7-6 victory. The win earned the Eagles a spot in the GSAC Tournament finals against No. 4 Concordia, but more importantly it secured a berth in the NAIA National Championship Tournament Opening Round for Biola. The berth is the Eagles' second in as many years after going a decade without a national postseason trip.
 
"I'm really proud of the team for fighting and never giving up," said Head Coach Lorie Coleman. "With Ashley being a senior it was so appropriate that she had the winning hit."
 
This deciding game was as intense as a conference tournament could possibly get as both teams had a chance at the automatic bid for nationals. The No. 18 Eagles were banking on that bid as an at-large bid was not guaranteed, and the Hawks had no chance at nationals without the bid.
 
With that added pressure, there were three lead changes, a tie score and the walk-off to bring fans on both sides' blood pressure through the roof.
 
San Diego Christian started the scoring in the top of the third inning, taking advantage of Reba DePriest missing some spots to get two RBI singles and take a 2-0 lead.
 
Biola answered back immediately in the bottom half of the inning, but the four runs they posted could just have easily been kept off the scoreboard. The Eagles got the bases loaded with two outs and were poised for a comeback, despite a phenomenal diving catch by the Hawks' shortstop. A measly fly ball into left field appeared to be the third out, but some miscommunication between SDC's left and center fielders allowed the third out to drop and three runs to score. Another error allowed a fourth run to score and got Biola back into control as DePriest went back to the circle for the fourth.
 
She had a quick fourth and fifth inning, prompting Coleman to bring in Kimmy Triolo to attempt a six-out save. Things quickly took a turn for the worst as SDC loaded the bases with no outs and forced the Eagles to bring DePriest straight back into the game.
 
That was not enough to shut down the Hawks as SDC went on to shock Biola with four runs in the top of the sixth and make the game look completely different at 6-4 headed to Biola's final six offensive outs.
 
Biola wasted no time getting back into it as a long double to left-center off the bat of Triolo got the inning started. Spadt sacrificed her to third to get a runner one bag away from pay dirt with just one out.
 
A walk and RBI single scored Triolo and kept two runners on base to force Josie Tucker, SDC's starter, from the game as Biola continued its attempt knot things up. Reliever Tori Lamb didn't have much success, walking the first batter she faced and then allowed a game-tying single to Kasey Hormel.
 
The game remained tied heading into the bottom of the seventh, after a great inning from DePriest, who seemed like a much more composed pitcher after re-entering the game.
 
"Reba showed us she could go the distance," said Coleman. "I think having to come in with the bases loaded in the sixth was exactly what she needed to really get fired up and finish things off."
 
And so the bottom of the seventh came up with the  Eagles desperately looking to score a game-winning run and avoid extra-inning softball.
 
A lead-off single and error allowed the first two batters to reach to setup Spadt's at-bat with the game on the line. She ripped the first pitch straight over the second base bag to begin the Eagles' celebration.
 
The win ended San Diego Christian's season at 31-22 and improved Biola to 34-17 headed into their rematch with Concordia in the GSAC Tournament Final. Two wins against CUI would give Biola a GSAC Tournament Championship. CUI only needs one win. Catch the game at portal.stretchinternet.com/cui/