AZUSA, Calif. --- Mitch Grossell's pinch-hit, eighth-inning home run snapped a late tie and propelled the University of British Columbia to an 8-6 win over Biola in the second game of the 2009 NAIA Baseball National Championship Opening Round on Tuesday.

The Eagles, the No. 3 seed in the Field Six portion of the national tournament, drop to 34-23 on the season and into the consolation bracket of the double-elimination tournament. Biola faces off against No. 5 Purdue University-North Central in a must-win game at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday morning.

The Thunderbirds, who are the No. 2 seed, advance to face the winner of tonight's game between No. 1 Point Loma Nazarene and No. 4 Azusa Pacific. If Biola wins its game on Wednesday, the Eagles would face the loser of the PLNU vs. APU game at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday night.

Grossell's home run with two out in the bottom of the eighth inning broke a 6-6 tie and came just moments after the Eagles had tied the game with a run in the bottom of the seventh. The blast cleared the center-field fence, sailing just over the 410 sign in dead-center field. Biola was unable to rally after that, as two batters reached in the final two innings but neither advanced past second.

The game got off to a good start for the Eagles as they scored four runs in the bottom of the first to take an early lead. With two out and Nick Rotkowitz at second, Hawkins Gebbers cracked the ice with a two-run shot to left field. Brent Opdyke followed that up with a double and Taylor Loop made it 4-0 game with a home run down the right-field line. 

However, British Columbia got the runs right back with a five-run second inning, retaking the lead and chasing Biola starter Nate Coronado. The Thunderbirds scored all five runs with two out, collecting four-straight hits including a two-run double by Alex White which tied the game at 4-4. Jon Syrnyk the followed with a run-scoring single to give UBC its first lead. 

Senior Brian Albert then came on for the Eagles and got the final out. Albert did an impressive job in relief, allowing just one run on two hits over 5-1/3 innings. He allowed a lead-off solo homer to Sammie Starr to leadoff the fourth, but did not give up a hit over the next four innings to keep Biola in the game.

The Eagles were able to get one run back in the fourth as Billy Vopinek connected on a long solo home run to left field to make it a 6-5 game.

Despite having runners on in each of the next two innings, Biola was unable to get the tying run as UBC starter Eric Brown settled into a groove. Brown, who allowed five runs on eight hits over six innings, gave way to Dan Britton-Foster in the seventh. 

Vinnie Fayard greeted the new pitcher with a single to left and was moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Chris Foreman. After a balk moved Fayard to third, Rotkowitz drove him in with a low-looping single to centerfield to tie the game.

In the eighth, Biola reliever Steven Alexander came on and quickly got the first two outs of the inning before walking designated hitter Bob Foerster. Grossell then stepped up to the plate as a pinch-hitter and blasted a 2-2 pitch over the center field fence. 

Biola got the lead-off runner on in the bottom of the eighth as Gebbers was hit by a pitch. However, an infield pop out, and two groundouts quickly ended the threat. The Eagles would get a runner on in the ninth on a throwing error, but again a pair of groundouts stopped the rally and ended the game.

Britton-Foster picked up the win in relief, moving to 5-2 on the season. Shawn Hetherington pitched the ninth to earn his 10th save.

Alexander took the loss to fall to 6-5 on the season. 

The victory by British Columbia was the first post-season win by the Thunderbirds over the Eagles. Biola had swept UBC in the best-of-three NAIA Super Regionals in 2003 and 2005.

The Eagles have fallen into a bit of a slump over the last few weeks, losing three of their last four games after winning 10 of 12 to wrap up the regular season.