Box Score PHOENIX, Ariz. --- It was heartbreak in the desert on Friday afternoon as Biola opened its three-game set at Arizona Christian by losing the lead in the eighth inning and suffering a 5-3 loss.
 
Eric Diomartich turned in yet another strong start and held the Firestorm to just two runs over seven innings of work. Unfortunately, it appears as if Head Coach Jay Sullenger left the senior in just a bit long as Diomartich began the eighth inning by with a quick groundout before allowing three-consecutive singles.
 
All three of those base runners would come around to score as ACU turned a 3-2 Biola lead into a quick 5-3 home team advantage. The third single Diomartich allowed resulted in two runs coming across the plate, which may or may not have come around in that inning without an error in the outfield after the ball dropped in.
 
All three of the Eagles' runs came in the top of the first inning. Leadoff man Aaron Chavez and Sam Thorne quickly jumped on ACU's starter, Dean Jackson, with a double and triple, respectively. Thorne's second triple of the season opened the scoring for the Eagles, but they were not done at that.
 
Biola's middle infielder's each got in on the early RBI action as JD Meyer singled home Daniel Rasmussen, who was pinch running for Thorne, and Alec de Watteville hit a double that brought Meyer around.
 
After that first inning Jackson would settle into a groove and only allowed two more hits to the Eagles over the next seven innings he would work. He was so effective that Biola only trotted out three batters to the dish in the second, fourth, sixth, seventh and eighth innings.
 
"Dio threw well and deserved a win today," said Head Coach Jay Sullenger. "The other guys deserves credit too after settling in."
 
Biola had a bit of an off day in the field as it committed three errors on the afternoon. It's the fifth time this season that Biola's committed at least three errors in the field.
 
The Eagles fall to 10-16 (3-7 GSAC) after the loss, while Arizona Christian becomes 9-11 (6-7 GSAC). The two teams meet again for a doubleheader tomorrow beginning at 10:00 a.m. PT.