FRESNO, Calif.- Two strong starts were punctuated by two saves from Josiah O'Bannon and the Fresno Pacific Sunbirds (16-12 overall) took the first two games of a series for the first time this year with 5-4 and 6-3 victories over the Biola Eagles (15-20 overall) Monday evening at the FPU Diamond.
 
Connor Semone and Jaylen Rodriguez both held off Biola enough for the offense to pass the baton as only Donte Valdez had a multi-hit game among 14 FPU hits in the two games.
 
It's the first time since the season opener that the Sunbirds took both games of the first double-header and it took a little bit of everything for FPU to hold off Biola.
 
Biola jumped out in front as a potential double-play slipped away from the Sunbirds, scoring the Eagles first run. Two batters later, Biola belted a two-run homer to take a 3-0 lead after its first at-bat.
 
It took a few innings for FPU to get to the Biola starter Lucas Bixby, but three singles in the third inning produced an RBI for Andrew Valdez.
 
The 'Birds tied the game in the fourth inning, capitalizing on a leadoff walk and an error that extended the inning. Justin Tiger singled in a run and Trent Mallonee drove in another with a sacrifice fly to even the game at 3-3.
 
The 'Birds knocked out Bixby in the fifth as Tommy Rover doubled home Donte Valdez and then Josh Pernetti provided the insurance run with a sacrifice fly.
 
After a rocky first inning, Connor Semone locked in. Semone navigated around a trio of doubles but tossed goose eggs up in the Biola half of innings from the 2^nd through the 6^th.
 
Biola would get closer in the seventh with a run, but Semone left a couple runners stranded to stand in line for the win.
 
Ian Mortensen pitched a scoreless eighth and Josiah O'Bannon worked around a two-out single for his second save of the season.
 
The Sunbirds offense jumped in front in game two. Gabe Henderson singled and stole second before Andrew Valdez drove in FPU's first run of the game, again. Donte Valdez drove in Andrew with a single and later scored on Roman Rosales' RBI double that skipped up against the centerfield fence. Griffith Fenn drove in Rosales with a single into right field to give FPU a 4-run first inning.
 
Biola capitalized on rare walks issued by Jaylen Rodriguez, driving in two runs in the second inning with a single.
 
Donte Valdez ripped his 8^th homer of the year, in the bottom of the third, over the left field fence to extend the FPU lead to 5-2.
 
The 'Birds added on in fifth as Mallonee singled and moved around on a fly out and two wild pitches to make it 6-2.
 
Biola got one more run off of Rodriguez in the 6^th, solo homer, but the righty still earned his 3^rd win of the year in as many starts with six strong innings of work.
 
O'Bannon wrapped up the game in the 7^th, with help from a Justin Tiger-turned double play, for his second save of the day.
Fresno Pacific wraps up the non-conference portion of the schedule against Biola on Tuesday with a doubleheader beginning at Noon.

SUNBIRD SOCIAL 

• Twitter - @fpusunbirds 
• Instagram - @fpusunbirds 
• Facebook - /FPUsunbirds