AZUSA, Calif. --- Junior Alex Brueske quieted the bats of No. 17 Azusa Pacific over a strong six-plus innings as Biola picked up a 6-4 victory in the second game of a four-game series against its arch-rivals on Thursday afternoon.

The Eagles improve to 8-4 on the season with the victory and move to 2-3 in GSAC play. The Cougars drop to 8-6 and to 1-5 in conference action.

Brueske did a masterful job against the Cougars, allowing just two runs on eight hits over 6-1/3 innings to pick up his second victory of the season. More importantly, he kept Azusa Pacific in the yard, giving up one home run to the team which recorded six in Wednesday's game. He also added four strikeouts and walked two while throwing 105 pitches.

Senior catcher Daniel Bodemer provided much of the offense for the Eagles, going 3-for-4 with a home run, two RBIs and a run scored. His home run was a two-run shot in the top of the second which gave Biola the early lead. Azusa Pacific answered back with a two-run home run of its own in the bottom of the frame as Jason Plowman drove a shot over the left-center field fence.

Biola took the lead back with a run in the fifth. Bodemer led off the frame with a single and was pinch-run for by Phil Blazek, who stole second and moved to third on a ground out. Garrett Leon then drove him in with a single through the left side.

The Eagles would tack on two more runs in the sixth, both with two out. With runners at second and third, Armando Arzate struck out swinging, but reached first on the wild pitch. Christopher Neal came around to score on the wild pitch, followed by Blazek, who came around as the first-baseman threw the ball away at third to make it 5-2.

Azusa Pacific threatened in both the sixth and the seventh innings, but could get no one home. In the seven, the Cougars put runners at first and second with one out bringing up slugger Anthony Delgado. Biola brought in reliever Kyle Atkins who was able to get Delgado to ground into the 6-4-3 double-play to end the inning.

The Cougars were able to get a pair of runs off Atkins in the eighth on a two-run double by Ryan Henley. But Atkins worked out of what turned out to be a bases-loaded jam by getting Josh Leite on a ground out to second.

Biola added an insurance run in the top of the ninth on an RBI-double by Leon. Atkins then retired the heart of the Cougar lineup in order to end the game and earn his first save of the season.

About the only Azusa Pacific player to have consistent offensive success in the game was right fielder Virgil Chavira, who went 4-for-4 in the game with three singles, a double and a walk. However, despite reaching five times and being in scoring positions three times, he was unable to score a run as APU's 2-3-4 hitters combined to go 0-for-13.

Ian Kelly suffered the loss for the Cougars, falling to 0-1.

The two teams close out the four-game series on Saturday (March 6) with a doubleheader scheduled to start at 11:00 a.m.