SANTA CLARITA, Calif. -- Coming in to Tuesday's NAIA Region II Playoff opener, Biola's Ryan Klatt had only made 3 previous starts during the regular season. Tuesday morning, Klatt looked like a staff ace, handcuffing Azusa Pacific hitters all game in an 11-0 mercy-ruled, seven-inning win over the Cougars in Santa Clarita.
It's not like the junior right-hander from Midland, Texas sees limited action, when in fact he leads the NAIA's No. 9-ranked Biola with 27 appearances this year. But, this by far was his longest stint of the season, and Klatt held the Cougars to just 1 hit, which didn't even come until the fifth inning and 3 base runners, while recording 12 strikeouts.
He had a perfect game through the first 3 innings, a no hitter through 4.1 innings and recorded at least one strikeout in all 7 innings. He struck out 9 of the first 13 batters he faced, including in the fourth when after allowing a fourth inning lead-off walk to Nick Mercado, he promptly struck out the side.
Robert Guiles was one of 3 Cougars (Ryan Marcos walked in the sixth) to reach base when he lined a ball back up the middle for the Cougars only hit of the game with one out in the fifth.
Biola took a 1-0 lead with an unearned run in the first, when All-GSAC shortstop Sam Orr drove in Phillip Ward with a sacrifice fly to center. After that, the game appeared to be headed towards a pitchers duel as Cougar starter Andy Alstot was just as sharp as Klatt through the first 2 frames.
Nevertheless, Biola blew the game open in the third, plating 5 runs on 6 hits to take a 6-0 lead and for all intents and purpose put the game in the bag. The Eagles strung together 3 straight singles and back-to-back doubles, including a 2-RBI double from Orr, before Alstot could record an out. A one-out Biola single by Matt Colin drove in Carl Galloway, who earlier doubled to left, and the Eagles led 6-0 leaving the rest up to Klatt.
Orr finished 3-for-3 with 2 runs and 6 RBIs. He also hit his school-record 23rd home run of the season, a 2-run shot in the fourth that gave Biola an 8-0 lead. Ward was 2-for-3 with 3 runs.
The Eagles scored 3 more runs (2 unearned) off Cougar reliever Joe Bitonti in the sixth to bring the 10-run, 7-inning mercy-rule into effect. Biola had runners on first and second with no outs, but the Cougars avoided any further damage with an inning-ending 5-4-3 triple play.
Alstot took the loss for the Cougars. He went 5 innings, allowing 7 hits and 8 runs (7 earned). He recorded 4 strikeouts and 1 walk (2 HBP).
With the loss, Azusa Pacific drops to 26-22 overall and will face the loser of the 3 p.m. game between The Master's and Point Loma Nazarene tomorrow (Wednesday) morning at 11 a.m. in an elimination game. Biola improves to 37-14 and advances to the winners' bracket where it will get The Master's/Point Loma winner at 3 p.m. tomorrow.
