LA MIRADA, Calif. --- Junior Garrett Leon made an immediate impact in his first game with Biola, going 3-for-5 with two home runs, a double and a school-record tying seven runs batted in as the Eagles defeated Simpson University 8-4 in their season-opener on Saturday afternoon at Eagles Diamond.

The Eagles pick up the victory to start the season at 1-0, while dropping the Red Hawks to 1-5.

Leon, who transferred to Biola after a successful career at Cypress College, had the best debut of a Biola player in recent memory, accounting for all eight of Biola's runs on the afternoon. He opened the scoring in the third inning with a grand slam to left-centerfield to give the Eagles an early 4-0 lead.

Leon added another blast in his next at-bat, sending the first pitch he saw into the netting well over the centerfield fence to make it a 6-0 Biola lead.

All of the offense was greatly appreciated by Biola starter Chris Baek, who looked sharp in his first start with the Eagles. The senior transfer from Sacramento State allowed just one run on six hits over six innings, striking out seven in the game to earn the victory.

After the Red Hawks added a single run in each of the sixth and the seventh innings, Biola got those runs back in the eighth to extend the lead back to six. Leon again played a key part in the rally, driving in the seventh run with a double off the centerfield wall to plate another newcomer Boone Farrington, who led off the inning with a double of his own.

Leon would then come around to score a few batters later as USC sophomore transfer Mac Sullivan capped a 4-for-5 day with a double down the left-field line.

Simpson would tack on a pair of unearned runs in the top of the ninth inning on a single by Jared Jordan, though on the play, Jake Gill was gunned down trying to go to third on the play to end the game.

The top of the order provided the pop for the Eagles as the top four in the order combined to go 11-of-19 in the game. In addition to Leon, who batted second, and Sullivan, who batted fourth, Biola had a strong game as Farrington went 2-for-4 in the leadoff spot. Sophomore Vinnie Fayard--one of the few returners from the 2009 season--went 2-for-5 from the three-spot.

Biola returns to the field on Monday (Feb. 1), traveling to face NCAA Division II Cal State Dominguez Hills in a non-conference contest. First pitch is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.