IRVINE, Calif. --- The 2019 PacWest Conference softball season got started with a really great game as No. 9 Concordia Irvine hosted the up-and-coming Biola Eagles and pitted two of the best arms in the conference against each other.

The hosts came up with a 3-0 win to extend their winning streak to eight games and their starting pitcher's shutout streak to 26 consecutive scoreless innings. Biola may not have been able to scratch out a run, but they remained productive enough throughout to force some stressful innings for Callie Nunes.

On the flip side, Paige Austin had everything working for most of the day holding Concordia to just five hits and forcing 10 groundouts. She had some command troubles though, resulting in CUI having their leadoff runner reach in four of their six offensive innings.

Two of those offensive innings resulted in runs for the hosts. The first scoring of the game came in the home half of the fourth when back-to-back walks to start the inning both came around to score before the first out was made. One scored on an error and another on a wild pitch and were unearned runs. Austin bounced back well after the early scoring, retiring the next three batters in order to limit the damage.

Concordia picked up their third and final run with a single and RBI double to start their part of the sixth inning. It was just the fourth and fifth hits of the game for Concordia and the only truly manufactured run allowed in the game.

Biola was able to get runners into scoring position in the second and third innings but then fell victim to the Nunes rise ball for most of the rest of the game. The Concordia sophomore, and reigning PacWest Pitcher of the Week, retired the final 10 Biola batters of the game in order including five by way of strikeout.

Jennifer Morinishi and Kayla Neff accounted for Biola's two hits in the contest and the Eagles managed five base runners, but no one batter reached base more than once.

Biola drops to 3-6 (0-1 PacWest) while Concordia moves to 8-1 (1-0 PacWest). The two teams finish off their season-opening doubleheader with a game two scheduled to start around 3:55 p.m. PT.

Follow that game live at https://portal.stretchinternet.com/cui/