LA MIRADA, Calif. — Biola erupted for seven runs in the second inning and never looked back, rolling to a 12-3 victory over Chaminade in the opener of a four-game PacWest series at Eagles Diamond.
The Eagles batted around in a second-inning outburst that blew the game open early. Oscar Knapp led off with a single to shortstop, and Kyle Rogers followed with a two-run home run to center field to put Biola on the board.
Adiel Torres singled and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Cole Thomson. After Nicholas Whippo walked, Kevin Villegas reached on a fielder's choice — an error by the Silverswords' second baseman loaded the bases and allowed Torres to advance to third.
Jonny Tewinkle then ripped a two-out double down the right-field line that plated two, and James Whitman followed with a two-RBI single to left center. Whitman stole second, and Knapp collected his second hit of the inning with an RBI single up the middle to cap the rally at 7-0.
Whippo tacked on a solo home run to center field in the third inning, pushing the lead to 8-0. Biola added two more in the fourth when Caruso and Tewinkle were hit by pitches to put runners at first and second, and Knapp laced a two-RBI double to left center that scored both.
Chaminade got on the board in the fifth using a single and then two-run double to make the game 10-3.
That was as close as the Silverswords would get. Tommy Kendlinger lifted a sacrifice fly in the sixth that scored Caruso, who had reached on a throwing error. Caruso then launched a solo home run to left field in the eighth off a Chaminade reliever to round out the scoring at 12-3.
Knapp finished 3-for-3 with a double and three RBI to lead the Biola offense. Rogers went 1-for-5 with his two-run homer, while Tewinkle went 2-for-4 with a double, two RBI and a hit-by-pitch. Whitman added a hit, two RBI and a walk.
Jacob Talbott earned the win on the mound, going five innings and allowing three runs on seven hits with four strikeouts and one walk.
John Iacono followed with two scoreless innings, scattering just two hits while striking out two.
Dylan Alanis worked a scoreless eighth, and
Valentine Lopez closed it out with a scoreless ninth, stranding two Chaminade runners after allowing a leadoff double.
With the win, Biola moved to 19-22 overall and 15-18 in PacWest play. These two sides have three more contests at Eagles Diamond over the next two days. Follow along with the full schedule at this link.
