NUCKOLLED DOWN
Game 1 Box
Game 2 Box
LA MIRADA, Calif. --- Consecutive win No. 34 looked just 7 innings away for the NAIA's No. 1-ranked California Baptist, but No. 16 Biola "Nuckolled" down in game 2, forcing a doubleheader split in GSAC action Tuesday.
The Lancers smashed Biola 9-1 in game one, but suffered a 0-2 loss to the Eagles in the finale, as California Baptist has an NAIA-record 33-game winning streak snapped and falls to 36-2, 11-1.
Biola (22-8, 8-6) allowed 9 runs on 12 Lancer hits in game one, but mixed up its pitching rotation, with No. 1-starter Katie Gustaveson hurling game 2, in which she went 7 shutout innings, allowing 4 hits and striking out 4 in the victory.
With 2 outs and nobody on base in the fifth inning, the Eagles capitalized on a Sarah Hurlbut error that allowed last year's GSAC batting champ Amerra Kesterson to reach base. After Sarah Jensen followed up the miscue with a single, Lindsay Nuckolls lined a 2-run double into the left-centerfield gap to put the game's only 2 runs on the board.
While she was hit with the loss, Amy Thomas (18-1) improved her streak of innings without allowing an earned run to 85.2 frames?just 2 away from her sister, Candice's record, set in 2005.
Amy Thomas went 6 innings, allowing just 5 hits and the 2 unearned runs while walking 2 and striking out 7.
Candice Thomas (18-1) picked up the win in the opener, going 6 innings and allowing 4 hits and one earned run, striking out 4 and walking 4.
GSAC Player of the Week Chantal Millard bombed a solo homer in the first inning and later doubled to spark a one-run rally in the fifth inning. The Lancers picked up 3 unearned runs in the second inning, when Millard hit a potential inning-ending groundout to shortstop that cleared the bases.
The Lancers scored a trio of runs in the sixth inning as well, when Kelly Maconachy and Nikki Lowe each singled home runs with bases-loaded singles. Lowe, whose singled plated a pair of runs, finished with 3 hits on the afternoon.
Geanie Jenkins homered in the third inning, as the Lancers finished with 4 extra-base hits in the win.
Biola scored its only run in the opener when Nuckolls doubled to lead off the fourth inning and came around to score on Krista Johnson's single.
