COSTA MESA, Calif. --- Playing for the first time in nine days, Biola seemed to pick up right where it left off, coming from behind twice to defeat Vanguard University 9-8 in a GSAC game on Monday afternoon at the VU Baseball Field in Costa Mesa.

The game was the first of what will be four make-up games after the four game series between the two teams was washed out last week.

The Eagles improve to 18-10 on the season and solidfy their spot in first place in the GSAC standings with a 12-4 overall record. Biola has now won nine of its last 10 conference games. The Lions fall to 13-14 overall and to 9-8 in conference play.

The game was a wild see-saw battle after a relatively quiet first three innings. With both teams not seeing time on the field last week, it took a bit of adjustment to face live pitching again.

Biola trailed heading into the top of the ninth inning, facing an 8-7 deficit. Drake Fages led off the inning with a single up the middle which was followed by Brian Loard getting hit by a pitch to put the tying run in scoring position. Pinch-hitter David McNeill came on to sacrifice the runners along but that's when things got wild.

McNeill's bunt went right back to the pitcher who attempted to get Fages going to third, but the throw was offline and went down the left-field line. Fages came around to score the tying run easily and after the leftfielder mis-played the ball down the line, pinch-runner Christian Kaiser came around to score the eventual game-winning run.

Biola closer Cameron McVey came on in the ninth and after allowing a two-out walk, coaxed a foul pop out to end the game, earning his fourth save of the year.

Kyle Atkins picked up the win in relief to improve to 3-2 on the season while Robert Purpura suffered the loss to fall to 1-4.

Biola got on the board early with a run in the top of the first inning. Boone Farrington led off the game with an infield hit, was moved to second on a ground out and scored on a single by Vinnie Fayard.

The Eagles tacked on three more runs in the fourth thanks to four-straight hits to open the frame. Fayard picked up his second hit in as many at bats, starting things off with a double down the left-field line. Fages followed with a single to put runners on the corners. Loard then drove home the first run with a single to left, followed by a run-scoring single by Mac Sullivan up the middle. Josh Burket drove home the third run with a ground out to third.

Vanguard picked up its first two runs in the fourth after a pair of what seemed like harmless two out walks. A grounder to short was booted, allowing one run to score with the second one coming around on a single by Brandon Pesante.

The Lions went on top of the bottom of the fifth with the big blow coming on a two-run homer by Jason Dovel which made it 5-4.

The Eagles came right back, however, with three more runs in the top of the sixth. With runners at first and second and one out, Benji Sutherland came through with a single to right center to score Sullivan with the tying run. That was followed by a single by Johnny Farrington to put the Eagles back on top. With the bases loaded and two out, Fayard forced home a run via the walk to make it a 7-5 Biola lead.

But Vanguard wasn't finished as the Lions scored three times in the seventh. With runners at second and third and no out, Dovel came through again with a single to drive home both runs and tie the game at 7-7. After a grounder moved him to third, pinch-hitter Bryson Rahier drove him in with a single to centerfield to give the Lions an 8-7 lead.

The score would stay that way until the ninth when the Eagles rallied for the win.

Biola starter Kevin Ryan lasted just 4-1/3 innings, allowing five runs--three earned--on six hits and walking three. He seemed to be cruising until the fourth when the two unearned runs seemed to throw him off a bit.

The second game of the rained-out series will take place at Vanguard next Monday (April 4) at 3:00 p.m. The other two games at Biola will be made up at a future date to be determined.

The Eagles now open a four-game series against Concordia with a pair of home games on Wednesday and Thursday beginning at 3:00 p.m. Concordia is 18-11 on the season, but is just 9-10 in GSAC play.