LA MIRADA, Calif. --- Fans of pitchers' duels were in for a treat on Saturday afternoon as Biola and No. 12 Fresno Pacific battled to a pair of low-scoring shutouts in a GSAC doubleheader. The Sunbirds took the first game 4-0 but the Eagles bounced back and won game two 1-0.

Biola moves to 10-11 on the season after the split and stays at .500 in GSAC play with a 5-5 mark. Fresno Pacific, ranked No. 12 in the latest NAIA National Poll, moves to 14-6 overall and to 8-5 in the conference.

Pitching was the name of the game as the teams combined to allow just five runs on 20 hits over the course of 16 innings. Biola starting pitcher Nate Coronado was outstanding in the second game, allowing just one hit and striking out six over 5-1/3 innings to improve to 2-0 on the season.

He was matched nearly pitch-for-pitch by Fresno Pacific starter David Hawes, who gave up just one run on two hits over 4-2/3 innings. 

Biola plated the lone run of the second game in the fifth inning. With one out, Daniel Bodemer, who had one of Biola's two hits in the game, drew a walk followed by another to Billy Vopinek. Josh Burket then punched a single to right field, though it was hit too hard to score Vinnie Fayard, who was in to pinch-run for Bodemer. Chris Foreman was able to get the run home, driving a low liner into centerfield for a sacrifice fly. Center fielder Dwight Nixon's amazing diving catch allowed the lone run, but saved at least two more runs from scoring. 

The Sunbirds threatened in the final two innings as Biola tried to close the door. In the sixth, a one-out walk followed by a stolen base by Anthony Lowell put a runner at second with two outs. Coronado had a 2-2 count on designated hitter Josh Jackson when Coach John Verhoeven elected to bring in a relief pitcher to close out the inning. Steven Alexander came in from the bullpen and threw just one pitch, but recorded a big strike out to end the threat.

Vopinek, Biola's closer, came on in the seventh to earn the save, though it wasn't without a bit of drama. With two outs, the Sunbirds strung together back-to-back hits--just their second and third of the game--to put runners at the corners. But Vopinek was able to get pinch-hitter Aaron Lynn--the game one starter--to fly out to left to end the game.

Vopinek picked up his fifth save of the season with his scoreless seventh.

First-game starter Brian Albert was also impressive allowing just two runs on seven hits over seven innings, giving up just two hits over the final five innings he pitched. He matched pitches with Lynn over seven innings, though Lynn did not allow a run while scattering five hits.

Fresno Pacific got off to a quick start in the game with five hits over the first two innings. After being denied in the first, the Sunbirds were able to plate a pair in the second. Alberts plunked lead-off man Dwight Nixon with a pitch and he then stole second. With one out, Karian Andrews hit a single through the right side and followed up with a stolen base to put runners at second and third. An infield single by Alec Mehrten set the table for Lowell, who drove home the first two runs with a single through the left side.

After that, Alberts settled down and allowed just a pair of singles over the course of the next seven innings, working out of a tough jam in the seventh by coaxing a double play off the bat of FPU clean-up hitter Case Rigby. 

Meanwhile, Biola was able to put runners on base in all but one inning, but could not seem to get the clutch hit it so desperately needed. The Eagles had their first two batters reach base in the fifth inning as Lynn hit David West and allowed a single to Brent Chavez to start things out. After a fly out and ground out, Lynn loaded the bases with a walk to Foreman. But he got out of the jam by striking out Alexander.

The Eagles again had a good chance in the eighth inning as singles by Nick Rotkowitz and West with two outs brought the go-ahead run to the plate in Chavez. However, it wasn't to be for Biola again as Chavez bounced a grounder to short to end the inning.

Lynn improved to 2-0 on the season with his first decision since the Sunbirds first game of the year. Albert took the tough loss, falling to 1-4 despite not allowing more than three runs in any of his six starts on the season.

Biola returns to action on Tuesday (Mar. 10), hosting Cal State San Marcos in a non-conference game beginning at 2:00 p.m. The Eagles then return to GSAC play on Wednesday (Mar. 11) with a home game against Westmont College at 3:00 p.m.