IRVINE, Calif. – Behind an onslaught of home runs and key plays, the Concordia University Irvine Golden Eagles defeated Biola University 6-5 in the winner's side of the bracket Thursday at the PacWest Conference Tournament.
Biola scored first behind a two-run homer by Makayla Jordan in the bottom of the second inning. But after that the Golden Eagles offense sprang in to action in the top of the third.
CUI responded immediately with a RBI single by
Jessica Im in her second at-bat of the day. PacWest Newcomer of the Year
Kayla Rodgers then crushed a line-drive two-run home run towards the construction site behind right-center field to put CUI ahead 3-2.
Kaliya Yco also went yard for the second time in two days. The freshman shortstop smashed a solo shot over the wall in right center to push the CUI lead to 4-2 before the third out was recorded in that third inning.
Yco also ended the fourth with a nifty double play. She caught a liner that hovered briefly over the second base bag and then smoothly threw over to
Shelli Faulk to double off a Biola runner. It was one of two double plays that happened with that type of sequence to quell a potential Biola rally.
It was 6-2 Concordia after Yco's next plate appearance. Her two-run double allowed Im and
Audrey Robles to come around to score. That was important because Kendall Nakano supplied a two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth to bring Biola back within two runs and make it a 6-4 game.
The Red and Black were able to climb within one and put the potential tying run at second base in the seventh. But CUI walked PacWest Freshman of the Year Kendall Nakano with a base open and two outs already in the book. Freshman
Kacie Gossett was able to get Raquel Reyes to line out to left field to end the game.
Kailey Estes improved to 8-0 with the win and pitched more than three innings in relief of starter
Jayden Nishi. Gossett earned her third career save.
With the victory, CUI moved in to PacWest Championship Day with a 2-0 record in this double-elimination tournament.
Their next game wil start Friday at 2 p.m. PT at Concordia with the extra game starting at approximately 3 p.m. PT if needed. The tournament champion will clinch the automatic bid in to the NCAA West Regional Tournament bracket beginning later this month.
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CLICK HERE for the PacWest Softball Tournament Website
