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Paige Austin 2
6
Winner Biola BU-SB 29-9, 12-6 PacWest
3
Dixie State DX-SB 26-4, 12-4 PacWest
Winner
Biola BU-SB
29-9, 12-6 PacWest
6
Final
3
Dixie State DX-SB
26-4, 12-4 PacWest
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Biola BU-SB 2 0 0 0 4 0 0 6 13 2
Dixie State DX-SB 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 3 4 5

W: Austin, Paige (13-2) L: Melendez, A. (8-1)

Game Recap: Softball |

All's Well That Ends Well

Biola shows it can hang with the top teams by winning 6-3 in game 2.

ST. GEORGE, Utah --- Biola bounced back in a big way after a disappointing game one to win the second game of today's doubleheader against No. 5 Dixie State, 6-3. The Eagles utilized a fluid offense, a complete game from Paige Austin and a handful of DSU defensive miscues to get the win.

"We had it in the back of our mind that we were going to have Paige Austin start game two and see how far she could take us," said Head Coach Lorie Coleman. "We knew she could hold down Dixie State, and obviously that strategy worked out for us."

The Eagles struck early to get two runs in the top of the first and announce they were here to play in game two. The Eagles used three singles and a pair of Trailblazer errors to build that lead before Austin even made it out to the circle.

"We knew their second pitcher would be a downball pitcher and that would give us an advantage offensively," said Coleman.

Austin blanked the potent DSU offense through the first two innings as the small lead held. A leadoff walk started a solid inning for the Trailblazers in the third. They managed to knot the game up at two with a RBI double and RBI triple later in the frame.

Austin managed to limit them to just that and stranded runners at second and third with an inning-ending strikeout, which was one of four she put up in this outing.

The 2-2 tie held for one full inning until Biola went out and managed to create some margin with their at-bats in the fifth. Biola started its rally with two outs and just one runner on. The Eagles got two singles, had a batter hit by a pitch and forced two DSU errors to put four runs on the board and open up a commanding 6-2 advantage with just two and a half innings left in the game.

Missy Poti was a big part of the offense all game long. She ended the day with two hits, a walk, two RBI and a run scored extending what's been a string of positive showings as of late.

"Missy has been listening and taking a lot of good advice recently," said Coleman. "Today coach [Udria] told her to keep her head down so she wouldn't look at anything over the brim of her hat and it seemed to be the thing that worked for her in this one."

Austin faced just seven batters in the Dixie State half of the fifth and sixth innings to send Biola into the final inning of the game with that four-run advantage intact. The Eagles got three-straight two-out singles in their half of the seventh, but an out at home plate kept them off the board and made a very tense bottom of the seventh possible.

The tension was all ushered in with two outs after Austin set down the first two Trailblazer hitters in order during their final at-bats. A Janessa Bassett solo homerun brought the game within three, and then both of the next two hitters reached base to bring the game-tying run to the plate in the form of cleanup hitter Kenzie Sawyer, a .387 hitter with 24 RBI on the year.

Sawyer worked a full count before she swung on and missed on the final pitch of the game. It was a tremendous performance from Austin, who improved to 13-2 on the season with the victory.

The split is a well-earned result for Biola against a DSU team that was hoping to move just one game out of first place if they earned a sweep. Biola and Dixie State are not done with one another as they have another crucial series at Freedom Field just three weeks from now.

"Getting this split is huge," said Coleman. "Especially against these bigger teams, if we can just relax and figure them out the first time we see them that'd be great. A split would be ideal for us, then we can hopefully go out and get a few more the next time we see them."

Biola improves to 29-9 (12-6 PacWest). The Eagles hand DSU its second-straight So. Cal series split after Azusa Pacific took one off of them earlier this week. The Trailblazers are now 26-4 (12-4 PacWest).

The Eagles hit the road and will make it home in the wee hours of the morning in time to spend Easter with their friends and family to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. The road doesn't get much easier for BU has it hosts conference-leading No. 24 California Baptist (22-5, 14-2 PacWest) on Wednesday.
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