LA MIRADA --- The Biola baseball team closed out senior day in walkoff fashion against the No. 4 ranked Point Loma Sea Lions. After surrendering the lead in the top half of the seventh, the Eagles scored twice in the bottom half of the inning to win, 9-8.
"I'm so proud of the team and the seniors," stated Head Coach
Jesse Rodgers. "They have battled and fought their whole careers and did it again today. It's an honor to lead a group that is so resilient and tough."
James Whitman and Jonny Tewinkle led the offense for Biola. Whitman went 3-for-4 with two RBIs while Tewinkle went 2-for-4 with three RBIs. Nick Madole had a movie-like moment, ripping a grand slam over the left field wall. Luke Caruso had a timely double, while Reef Danner and Josh McAninch logged hits.
Senior starter Gabe Magallan got the ball in game two. Magallan tossed five and a third innings, allowing three runs on six hits and striking out six. The baton was passed to three more seniors, beginning with Nathan Hernandez. Hernandez faced one hitter, striking them out swinging. Nico Hagadorn was next, allowing a hit and a hit batter. Blake Wentz recorded the final out of the sixth, before going back in for the final inning. In the seventh, he allowed four runs on three hits and one walk. Noe Novella faced two batters, giving up a run and a walk. Wyatt Nichol closed things out, facing the minimum.
Point Loma got on the board first via an RBI single up the middle. Madole and the Eagles answered right back in the bottom of the first with a grand slam.
In the second, the Sea Lions responded with a sacrifice fly. Tewinkle doubled to right center scoring McAninch before Whitman launched his 49th career home run to dead center.
In the fourth, Loma tacked on another via an RBI groundout.
In the top of the seventh, PLNU led off with back-to-back home runs before loading the bases with no one out. After an RBI walk, the Sea Lions scored on a sacrifice fly and a groundout to take the lead.
Down by one, Caruso led the inning off with a double down the left field line. Tewinkle, one of the 11 seniors honored, stepped up with two strikes and launched an opposite field homerun off the scoreboard. The Eagles win, 9-8, in walkoff fashion.
The Eagles improve to 26-24 overall and 22-20 in conference. They will play their final two games of the season tomorrow on the campus of Point Loma with first pitch set for 12 p.m.
