RJ Bates hit a three-run home run to spark Biola’s comeback Friday night, and an error opened the door for a three-run rally in the 12th inning as the Eagles beat UH-Hilo 9-6 to spoil a promising start by Kyle Alcorn at Wong Stadium.
Alcorn rebounded from a poor outing with six shutout innings of three-hit ball, but he was relegated to a no-decision when the Eagles scored twice in the ninth to tie the game off of Vuls closer John Kea.
Redshirt freshman Kobie Russell enjoyed his first big game for UHH (4-7, 2-2 Pacific West Conference) with three hits, including a RBI double with two outs in the 10th to tie the game.
After Alcorn left, Biola (5-6, 1-1) picked up 12 hits off of Jacob Morales, Kekai Mahiko and Kea (1-1), who went five innings in the longest outing of his career.
Connor Kostecka led off the 12th with a single to right then stole second, and two outs later he scored on an error. After a walk, Robert Anthony Cruz’s double to deep center brought in two more runs.
Josh Ludeman (1-0) took over in the ninth and pitched four solid innings, allowing four hits with four strikeouts.
The teams play a 3 p.m. doubleheader Saturday aftet splitting the first two games in the series.
The Vulcans struck first. Two walks, Kyle Yamada’s double and Casey Yamauchi’s sac bunt and an error accounted for a run in the third. Casey Yamauchi followed with an RBI sacrifice bunt, and another run scored on a throwing error.
Yamauchi (2-5) drove in another run in the fifth with a hit to left to score Mikey Rita, who had reached on a bunt single, to make it 4-0.
Bates put Biola right back in the game with a tw0-out blast off Mahiko in the seventh, though all three runs were unearned after a foul ball was dropped earlier in the inning.
Russell appeared to have driven in an important insurance run with a double down the line to bring home RJ Romo, who lead off the eighth with a single.
But looking for a two-out save after pitching the night before and closing out a 7-4 win, Kea couldn’t hold the lead. He walked two batters and Bates’ hit loaded the bases. Cruz hit a sacrifice fly, and with the Eagles down to their last out, Andy Van Antwerp came through with a hit to left to tie the game.
Cruz and Bates each drove in three runs.
Kostecka led off the 10th with a double and scored on hit by Joey Magro (3 for 7), but Chris Aubort had a pinch-hit single in the bottom of the 1oth ahead of Russell’s second double. He also swept two bases.