LA MIRADA, Calif. --- Brent Chavez capped off a 4-for-4 day with a two-out, two-run double in the bottom of the eighth inning to lift Biola to a 5-4 non-conference win over Cal State San Marcos on Tuesday afternoon on Eagles Diamond.

The Eagles improve to 11-11 overall, reaching the .500 mark for the first time this season thanks to a streak which has seen them win nine of their last 12 games. The Cougars drop to 8-4 overall and see a three-game winning streak snapped.

Chavez broke out of a 2-for-20 slump in a big way, collecting three singles, a double, two RBIs, two stolen bases and scoring a pair of runs. The senior was facing a tough situation in the bottom of the eighth with runners at second and third, two outs and a 1-2 count. But he came through in the clutch, hitting a double to left-centerfield to score the runners and give the Eagles a 5-4 lead heading into the ninth.

Junior Billy Vopinek then came on and pitched a perfect ninth inning to pick up his sixth save of the year and secure the victory for the Eagles.

Chavez' hit helped to bail out Biola reliever Derek Dietzen, who was a bit rusty in his first appearance since the beginning of the 2008 season. The junior, who is coming off successful Tommy John surgery may have been feeling a bit of nerves as he came on in the eighth inning with Biola holding a 3-1 lead. Dietzen gave up a leadoff single followed by a walk before Scott Clement gave the Cougars back the lead with a three-run home run to left on the third pitch he saw.

But Dietzen would settle down, allowing a one-out single, but getting out of the inning with a strikeout. He would go on to pick up his first win since January 29 of last year. 

Biola starter Mike Frisina had another outstanding start, though did not receive a decision in the game. Frisina allowed just one run while scattering eight hits and striking out five over 6-2/3 innings. That performance comes on the heels of his last start where he allowed just two hits and struck out nine over five scoreless innings against Bethany University last week.

Cal State San Marcos got on the board first as Josh Miller plated Dane Ponciano with an RBI-single in the top of the fourth. 

Biola took back the lead in the fifth with a pair of runs. Chavez hit a one-out single to center, stole second and came around to score on a double by Chris Foreman. Foreman than stole third and scored on a single by Vopinek.

Cal State San Marcos had a chance to tie the game in the top of the seventh. The Cougars loaded the bases with singles the final one coming with two outs, chasing Frisina from the game. Adam McNaught came on in relief for the starter and got James Scott to fly out to center to end the threat.

In the seventh, the Eagles added an insurance run as Chavez again singled with one out, stole second and this time came around to score on a two-out single by Nick Rotkowitz. 

Rotkowitz ended the day with three hits in four at-bats and an RBI, collecting three hits or more for the fifth time this season and raising his team-best batting average to .411.

Biola returns to GSAC play on Wednesday (Mar. 11), hosting Westmont College in a conference game beginning at 3:00 p.m.