WEST COVINA, Calif. – Carroll College softball suffered from errors and cold bats and dropped two tough games against 18th-ranked Vanguard University (7-1) and 20th-ranked Biola University (4-1) at the second day of the SoCal Classic in West Covina, California.
 
In the first game, against Vanguard, the Lions struck first on a RBI single to score the lead-off runner and took a 1-0 lead after one inning. Vanguard scored again in the fourth inning off of a throwing error and a passed ball committed by the Saints.  The Lions led 3-0 after four innings.
 
Carroll answered with a RBI single down the left field foul line by Madison Soper, scoring Courtney Cloud, cutting the score to 3-1 after four innings.
 
Vanguard responded with a two-run home run in the sixth inning and a two RBI single in the seventh to wrap the 7-1 victory over the Saints.
 
Tess Eaton started her first career game while throwing a complete game with four earned runs and four strikeouts for the Saints. 
 
Cloud went 1-3 with a run scored and a stolen base in the two hole.
 
Carroll took the lead in the second inning against the host team Biola in their second game of the day. Megan Gipe singled up the middle and advanced on an error by the center fielder to second base. Soper's sacrifice bunt moved Gipe to third and she later scored on a single by Tianna Harper to center field.
 
Defense haunted the Saints in the game, giving up three unearned runs off of two errors.  One came in third inning off of a two RBI single by Heather Hall after lead-off hitter Andi Hormel reached base by an error. Two more runs came in during the fifth inning when a wild pitch and a throwing error with the bases loaded led to a 4-1 Biola lead and eventual win. 
 
Gipe pitched a complete game for the Saints, giving up one earned run and striking out two.  Gipe has thrown 14 innings over the two days, giving up the lone earned run and striking out 12.
 
"Today was a day of learning not losing," said head coach Aaron Jackson. "We couldn't get the offense going but we will learn from today and hopefully finish strong tomorrow."
 
Carroll wraps up play from the SoCal tournament on Sunday with games against Antelope Valley at 11 a.m. and Embry-Riddle at 1 p.m.  Antelope Valley dropped all three games on Saturday against San Diego Christian, Hope International and Vanguard.  Embry-Riddle also lost their two games on Saturday against Vanguard and Hope International.