COSTA MESA, Calif. – Baseball swept Biola on Tuesday afternoon to move to 12-8 overall and 7-7 in Golden State Athletic Conference competitions. The Eagles drop to 8-17 (4-10 GSAC) on the season with the loss. Senior Thomas Mobley (Anaheim, Calif.) paced the Lions in the doubleheader with four hits, two of which were doubles, two RBIs, three runs scored and a stolen base.
With the wins, the Blue and Gold move into fourth place in the league standings behind No. 12 The Master's College (12-3 GSAC), No. 9 Concordia (9-5 GSAC) and No. 22 San Diego Christian (9-5 GSAC).
Vanguard opened the day with a two-run first inning and though BU put a run on the board in the second, the Eagles could not recover as The Pride claimed the 3-1 victory.
Scott Torrey (Simi Valley, Calif.) threw the entire contest, allowing just one run in nine innings. He walked one and struck out two as he improved to 4-1 in his junior season.
Mobley and senior Nick Rodda (Santa Rosa, Calif.) managed two hits apiece in the opener to record four of the Lions' seven knocks. Senior Bret Collins (Manhattan Beach, Calif.), junior Taylor McKnight (Mission Viejo, Calif.) and senior John Collins (Fallbrook, Calif.) tallied VU's remaining hits.
Vanguard stole four bases in the affair.
In game two, Biola scored a run in the top of the first off of Vanguard's starting pitcher, senior Richard Perry (Fontana, Calif.), but Perry and the Lions quickly closed the gap to take the lead back in the second with a three-up, three down defensive effort and a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame.
Freshman Brandon Sandoval (Fallbrook, Calif.) and Mobley teamed up in the fifth with a single and an RBI double, respectively, to post another run for The Pride, but Biola rallied to score two of its own on junior reliever Marshall McKinnon's (Los Gatos, Calif.) watch to tie the contest at 3-all in the seventh.
The Lions could not end the DH in the seventh, but brought in senior Clayton Voechting (Temecula, Calif.) to finish the Eagles on the mound in the eighth.
Voechting accomplished his task, and did so quickly, garnering three straight outs to bring VU back to the plate.
Mobley led off with a single to third and senior John Schwer (Burbank, Calif.) hit a walk-off double down the left field line to complete the sweep.
Senior first baseman Ian Sakry (Long Beach, Calif.) notched two hits and two RBIs in the nightcap for the Lions.
Voechting snagged the win with his valiant one-inning performance to move to 2-2 on the year.
Vanguard travels to No. 9 Concordia on Friday for game one of its three game series with the Eagles. The contest is scheduled to begin at 2:00 pm.
-GOLDPRIDE-
