Freshman starting pitcher Trevor Oaks threw seven innings of one-run, four-hit ball to help Biola baseball split Saturday’s doubleheader with Concordia University Irvine, winning game two 2-1.

After falling just short of an improbable comeback in game one, Biola needed a solid, shutdown outing from their redshirt freshman and Oaks provided just that.

“The second game was really important to me personally and to our team,” Oaks said. “Had we lost, we would’ve been swept twice by Concordia and that could’ve possibly impacted our team morale for the next two series.”

Oaks was throttled in February’s start at Concordia, giving up 10 runs on 12 hits. On Saturday, the Riverside native kept Concordia in check to earn his second straight win.

“I made sure I established my inside fastball early,” Oaks said. “Last time, I primarily focused on the outside corner.

“After getting destroyed [last time], I realized that might not be the best idea,” he joked.

Biola held a slim 1-0 lead in the fifth inning before Concordia first baseman Bryan Garza drove in his fifth RBI of the series with a single, ending Oaks’ scoreless inning streak at 14.2. But Oaks retired seven of the final nine batters to secure his fourth win of the season, and prevent an embarrassing home sweep.

“I had something to prove to Concordia and to my teammates,” Oaks said.

Junior relief pitcher Bryan Castelli scored Biola’s go-ahead run on a wild pitch in the sixth while pinch-running for freshman catcher Sam Thorne, who singled to lead off the inning.

Eagles mount comeback but fall short in game one

Biola trailed 11-4 heading into the ninth inning in game one of Saturday’s twinbill, but cashed in on two Concordia errors and a big three-run home run from junior left fielder Vince Lawrence to score six runs before Concordia even recorded an out.

Junior first baseman Nick Oddo — whose three-run shot in the second inning tied the game at three — led off the ninth with a single. Sophomore third baseman Tanner Swire followed with a double, advancing Oddo to third before scoring on a passed ball. Sophomore infielder Mike Chriss knocked in Swire with the team’s third consecutive hit and advanced to second on an error. Junior shortstop Johnny Farrington walked and sophomore right fielder Paul Slater reached on Concordia’s second error of the inning, scoring Chriss from third.

All of this to set up Lawrence, who cranked out his second home run of the year to pull Biola within one at 11-10.

Then in just eight pitches, junior reliever Sean Buford shut the door on Biola’s late-inning surge with three quick outs.

Freshman starter Josh Staumont was tagged with the loss, his sixth of the year. The right-hander allowed six runs on six hits and walked four — his third four-walk game in his last four starts. Heading into Saturday’s game, Staumont’s 34 walks allowed were highest in the Golden State Athletic Conference.

Slater, Sutherland slumping at plate

Biola’s number one and three hitters struggled with the bat on Saturday, combining to go 1-for-16 at the plate. Slater struck out four times and left four runners on base in a 1-for-8 effort, and is just 6-for-38 over his last 10 games. Senior center fielder Benji Sutherland has just one hit in his last 12 at-bats after an eight-game stretch in which he went 14-for-33 with five doubles and 11 RBIs.

With a conference record of 13-17, Biola sits in fifth place, 1.5 games behind Arizona Christian University — who swept first-place Master’s College this weekend. The Eagles will need to move into the top four in order to secure a spot in conference playoffs.

Biola will travel to Costa Mesa next Friday to take on last-place Vanguard University in a critically important three-game series.