KANSAS CITY, Mo. --- Former Biola starting pitcher Josh Staumont made his Major League Baseball Debut on Thursday for the Kansas City Royals, throwing scoreless frames in the 11th and 12th innings to keep the Royals tied with the Cleveland Indians at 3-3. 

"It's one of those things that you just can't imagine," Staumont said. "There are very few things in life that you do for the first time that you put [so much] dedication, blood, sweat and tears into. And when it comes to fruition, even if it's just standing there for the first time, it's definitely an experience that you just can't put into words."

Staumont was the second Royal ever to make his MLB debut in extra innings of a tied game. He induced a flyout from Indians DH Jake Bauers on the first pitch of his appearance and got out of a bases-loaded jam in the 12th with a three-pitch strikeout followed by a routine fly ball to left field from Greg Allen. 

Staumont is the second member of the 2013 Biola baseball team to be called up to the Royals in the past two years. Fellow right-hander Trevor Oaks, who was also a freshman starter alongside Staumont in 2013, made four appearances for Kansas City in 2018. Oaks is currently on the injured list.

"I'm blessed to be here with the Royals," Staumont said. "I'm thankful for the Glass family, the entire front office and everyone. No matter how much I worked for it, I had to have some things fall in place first, so it's a huge blessing."

Staumont won six games for the Eagles in 2013 and led the team in strikeouts (109) and innings pitched (102.1). He recorded 10 or more strikeouts in three starts as a freshman and was part of two impressive feats from John Verhooven's pitching staff that year. Staumont threw 10.2 innings of three-run ball for the Eagles against Vanguard on April 20 and also pitched the first five-plus innings of a combined no-hitter at The Master's on January 28. It was Biola's first no-hitter since 1970. 

Staumont was recruited to Biola out of Woodcrest High School in the Inland Empire, a school that has two more alumni on Head Coach Jeff Calhoon's 2020 roster in Brandon Cody and Carson Cody.  Biola Baseball enters its first season on NCAA postseason eligibility under Calhoon this coming season.