NAIA No. 2-ranked PLNU opened up Golden State Athletic Conference play with a 9-2 victory over Biola at Eagles Diamond on Wednesday. The Sea Lions (9-2-1, 1-0 GSAC) broke the game open by plating two runs in each of the third, fourth and fifth innings, giving plenty of breathing room to starting pitcher Steven Winnick.

Shortstop Tyler Kuehl snapped the scoreless deadlock and put PLNU on the board when he blasted a two-run shot in the top of the third. Catcher Drew Bernhard started the fourth inning rally off the hard way with a hit by pitch.

Centerfielder Allen Boyer followed with a double to put runners on second and third. Second baseman Alex Cameron was intentionally walked to set up a force at any base but that strategy failed when pitcher Steven Winnick singled to center, plating Bernard. Third baseman Wes Kartch coaxed a walk to force Boyer home for the fourth run of the game.

Back-to-back errors by Eagle shortstop Armando Azante to the first two Sea Lion batters in the fifth was followed by a wild pitch that put both runners in scoring position. Bernard singled home a run and Cameron grounded out to first, sending rightfielder Jack Diamond to the plate.

Ahead 6-0 despite managing just four hits up to that point, Boyer added to the PLNU advantage by smashing a two-run homerun in the seventh, his third round tripper of the year.  Pinch hitter Jeff Fox added to the Sea Lion total by plating Kartch, who had doubled earlier, with an eighth inning single.

Winnick improved to 2-0 on the year with the stellar effort. It took just 85 pitches for Winnick to get through seven shutout innings in which he gave up just three hits and two walks while fanning five Eagle batters.

Josh Dexheimer took over for Winnick in the eighth. After a scoreless frame, the Eagles would push across a pair of runs in the ninth for the 9-2 final.

Biola starter Jeff Grijalva (2-1) was tagged for four runs in a four-inning stint. Grijalva allowed just three this but was wild and walked seven. The Eagles (6-2, 0-2 GSAC) employed four other hurlers on the day.

The same two teams play at 2:00 pm on Thursday, in La Mirada again, before wrapping up their four-game series with a doubleheader in San Diego on Saturday.