REDDING, Calif. --- Biola's softball season got off to a bit of a slow start, but the Eagles rebounded from three loss on the first day of the Simpson University tournament with three strong wins on day two.

Biola, which finished the brutal six-games in two day schedule with a 3-3 record, endured a 15-hour bus trip followed by three-straight games less than 12 hours later in the opening day.

The Eagles opened the season against tournament host Simpson University (Calif.) and mounted a frantic seventh-inning comeback before falling 7-5. Biola fell behind early allowing four runs in the top of the third despite allowing just one hit. The Red Hawks benefited from a Biola error, three walks and a wild pitch to go up 4-0 early.

The Eagles got a run back on an RBI-single by Sara Smith, but allowed two more runs in the top of the fourth on a two-run home run by Morgan Davis. Lyndsie Roberts' lead-off home run in the bottom of the frame cut the gap to four, but Simpson answered back with a run in the fifth to make it a 7-2 game.

Biola battled back with three runs in the bottom of the seventh to make things exciting and had the tying runs in scoring position with two out before a strikeout ended the game.

The second game of the day came against Oregon Tech and it was a thrilling 1-0 decision which the Eagles happened to be on the wrong end of. Junior Kristin Larson had an impressive debut, allowing just one run on five hits over seven innings. However, she had just one bad inning and that came in the third. After quickly recording the first two outs of the frame, Larson allowed back-to-back walks and OIT's Ashleigh Larson made her pay by delivering an RBI-single before being thrown-out attempting to stretch it into a double.

That proved to be all of the offense Taylor Schmidt would need as she held the Eagles to just four hits over seven innings for the shutout.

Biola's day ended on a sour note as William Jessup University picked up its first-ever softball victory by defeating the Eagles 8-1. WJU, which is coached by Biola alum Jessica Pistole (formerly Logsdon), is in its first season of competition and took full advantage of five Biola errors to pull out the win.

The Eagles had nine hits in the game but could not string any together against WJU starter Kara Besseghini, who allowed just one run on an RBI-ground out in the sixth by Jillian Storm. Storm drove home Krista Johnson who had led off the frame with a double.

After the tough opening day, Biola put together an impressive second day, going 3-0 to salvage the tournament. The Eagles started the day with a strong pitching performance by Roberts, who allowed just two hits and struck out 10 in seven shutout innings. Biola's three runs came off the bat of Smith, who drove a three-run home run over the left field fence in the third inning.

The second game was a blowout as the Eagles rolled to an 8-1 win over Menlo College. Biola pounded out 12 hits and Larson continued to roll, this time allowing just four hits and an unearned run over seven innings.

Smith continued her hot start with three hits including a double and scored two runs. Johnson picked up her first home run of the season--a two-run shot in the seventh inning to cap the scoring. With the score 1-0 Biola heading into the sixth inning, the Eagles broke the game open with five runs. The big blow came with two out as Brittany Bury cleared the bases with a three-run double to tally the final three runs of the frame.

The Eagles closed out the tournament with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Corban College. Biola got on the board early with a run in the first as Lauren Gandy reached base with a single, stole second and scored on an RBI-single by Roberts.

The Eagles added another in the third inning as Gandy led off with a single and came around to score on a bases-loaded single by Johnson. However, despite having the bases loaded with no one out, Biola was unable to push across another run and had to settle for a 2-0 lead after three.

In the top of the sixth, Storm reached on a two-out single, stole second and Bury drove her home with a double to provide a key insurance run for the Eagles. Corban responded with with a pair of run in the sixth inning to make it interesting as Stephanie Nippert drove home a run with a one-out triple and came around to score on an RBI single by Jessica Schell.

But facing a bases-loaded, two out situation, Larson--who entered the game in the fifth--shut the door by striking out Jessie Jones to end the threat. Larson would then retire the side in the seventh to pick up the save.

Smith was Biola's top performer over the weekend, going 11-of-21 (.524) with a home run, three doubles, five RBIs and four runs scored. Bury wasn't too far behind with 10 hits in 20 at-bats (.500), two doubles, two runs scored and four RBIs.

Larson wrapped things up with a 1-2 record overall and one save, allowing eight earned runs in 23 innings pitch while striking out 11. Roberts was 2-1 overall for the Eagles, striking out 19 and allowing just six earned runs over in 18 innings.

The Eagles return to action on Feb. 25-27, traveling back north to take part in the Southern Oregon University Classic Tournament in Medford, Ore. Biola will face two of the three opponents it lost to this last weekend including taking on Oregon Tech twice.