HAYWARD, Calif. – As luck would have it, the top two teams in the PacWest Conference softball standings were matched up again in Northern California to kick off their week at the NCAA DII Regional Tournament.
In the latest installment of their rivalry, Concordia University Irvine tangled with Biola for the eighth time this season with their fourth meeting in two weeks in a playoff setting.
Concordia got on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning after falling behind 3-0 after the first two frames.
Caitlynn Campbell singled with one out and then
Kaliya Yco sent a screamer over the wall in left near the bleachers to help the Golden Eagles claw within 3-2. The sophomore shortstop finished 2-for-3 with the home run, a walk and 2 RBI.
Second Team All-PacWest pitcher
Kacie Gossett settled down and limited the Eagles to zero runs in the middle innings. Her changeup was working in the fifth as she made one batter look foolish on strike three and then coerced a pop up. The sophomore wound up tossing 5.2 innings in the circle and allowed only seven hits and three runs.
The Concordia outfield communicated well and tracked down a boatload of fly balls. Campbell made two great defensive plays, charging in to rob Biola of two extra hits in shallow left field. She also finished with two hits as did leadoff hitter
Jessica Im.
In the bottom of the sixth, Concordia loaded the bases with nobody out.
Kaitlin Murphy scored the tying run when
Serena Velez singled with one out to make it 3-3.
Then with two outs,
Jessica Im singled through the right side to plate the go-ahead run as Yco raced home. Unfortunately, Biola was able to throw out the next runner at the plate to end the threat with CUI leading 4-3.
Biola was down to its last two outs before mounting a rally in the top of the seventh. The Eagles bounced back and took a 5-4 lead and then got three outs to close out the contest and move to the winner's side of the bracket.
Concordia was 4-3 entering Thursday against Biola this week, and defeated the Red and Black 8-0 last Thursday on the way to
clinching its fourth straight PacWest Conference Tournament title.
VIDEO: Postgame Interviews with CUI's Campbell, Yco and Coach Rosenthal
ON DECK
Concordia will now face No. 2 seed Cal State East Bay in the first elimination game on Friday at 12:30 p.m. PT. The winner will stay alive and play immediately afterwards against the loser of the Biola-Western Washington contest for the chance to make it to Saturday's final day of competition.
The Vikings defeated the Pioneers in their first contest on Thursday by a final score of 3-2.
CLICK HERE for the updated CUI softball schedule
CLICK HERE for the full NCAA DII Softball Bracket
CLICK HERE for Tournament Central from the East Bay Regional
