High-level competition confronted Biola’s softball team this past week, but the Eagles responded by winning four of their six home games. They earned doubleheader wins over Marymount College on Feb. 23 and Hope International University on Feb. 25, before getting swept by Vanguard University on Feb. 28. Biola’s record moved to 13-6-2 overall and 2-2 in Golden State Athletic Conference play as the Hope series marked the beginning of regular season play.

Win Streak snapped

The week started on a solid note for the Eagles, as they won their first game against Marymount 2-1. After each team scored a run within the first two innings, Biola finally scored their second run in the bottom of the fifth, when a single from junior third baseman Selina Sherlin, followed by a fielding error, allowed freshman outfielder Jay Perez to score what ended as the winning run. Senior pitcher Kimmy Triolo went all seven innings, improving her record to 6-2 on the mound.

Game two had the same outcome with a different score, as each team doubled their run total from the first game. Biola scored one run in the first, second, fifth and sixth, while Marymount scored their two in the fifth. Freshman pitcher Paula Damas held off the late Marymount run to earn her first win of the season. Marymount dropped to 2-6 overall with the pair of losses.

Hope walked onto Biola’s Freedom Field on game one and gave the Eagles a scare, as they led 3-0 in the top of the fifth. However, a three-run spurt by Biola in the bottom of the fifth evened the score, which they then capitalized on in the bottom of the seventh, scoring on a walk-off double from junior center fielder Anjie Amezquita. Amezquita had two hits in the game, both of which were RBI doubles.

In game two, Biola looked to defend their six-game win streak. They did so in dramatic fashion, winning 8-4. Sophomore pitcher Kaile Chavez had four strong innings, earning her fourth win, while Damas came in for 2.1 innings of relief to get her second save. Sherlin and sophomore catcher Alexis Parker had the most prolific night offensively, as each scored two runs. Hope fell to 6-4 overall and 0-2 in GSAC play.

Lions untamed

In a last-minute scheduling switch, Vanguard made the trek to La Mirada, but the change did not seem to favor the home Eagles, as the Lions won both games to break Biola’s seven-game win streak. The first game was a five-run blowout, as six runs from the Lions in the first two innings set them up for a 8-3 win, despite Biola out-hitting Vanguard 12-7.

Game two featured Biola’s first shutout loss since Feb. 14 against Concordia University, as Vanguard held Biola to only one hit and zero runs while earning three runs of their own. Triolo took the loss for the second consecutive game, dropping her record to 6-4. Vanguard improved to 13-3 overall and 4-0 in conference with their wins.

The homestand continues for Biola on March 4, when the Arizona Christian University Firestorm come to California for a doubleheader with games starting at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m.