FRESNO, Calif. --- No. 9 Biola got off to a strong start, opening up an early eight-run lead. However, No. 12 Fresno Pacific fought back and scored 16-unanswered runs to take a 17-9 win in the first game of a four-game GSAC series in Fresno on Wednesday night.

The Eagles, who moved to No. 9 in the latest NAIA National Rankings, drop to 25-15 and to 19-9 in GSAC play. The Sunbirds improve to 26-14 and move within 1/2 game of Biola in the GSAC standings with a 19-10 record.

Biola got off to a fantastic start in the contest, holding an early 9-1 lead heading into the bottom of the fourth inning. However, Fresno Pacific came alive after that with one run in the fourth, three in the fifth and then a pair of six-run innings to end up with a blow out victory.

The Eagles opened the scoring with two runs in the first, one on a wild pitch and the other on a Fresno Pacific error. 

After the Sunbirds scored a run in the bottom of the first, Biola answered back with six runs in the third as Brian Loard singled home one run, James Petrilli drove home another with a sacrifice fly and Josh Burket plated a pair with a double. Johnny Farrington capped the scoring with an RBI-single to make it 8-1 in Biola's favor.

The Eagles tacked on one more run in the fourth thanks to another sacrifice fly by Petrelli and looked to be cruising to an easy win.

But the Sunbirds came back. Tyler Pryor did the majority of the damage, going 4-for-4 on the day with eight RBIs. He also collected two home runs on the afternoon, a two-run shot in the fifth and a three-run homer in the eighth. When Biola did keep him in the yard, he cleared the bases with a three-run double in the sixth.

Biola's Benji Sutherland collected three hits in four at-bats and two runs scored.

Starter Kevin Ryan had a tough outing, allowing five runs on seven hits over five innings. But the bullpen, which had been solid through much of the season, surrendered 12 runs on 10 hits over the final three innings.

Game two of the series is Thursday at 3:00 p.m. at Fresno Pacific with the final two games on Saturday as a doubleheader beginning at Noon.

Saturday's games are part of Biola's Strike Out Cancer day at the ballpark. The Eagles will be raising money to help fight breast cancer and honoring those who have battled and survived as well as honoring the memory of those who have lost the battle prior to the start of the doubleheader.