LA MIRADA, Calif. – Hawai'i Pacific University gave up a three-run eighth inning on Thursday afternoon to fall to Biola 7-6 in a PacWest Conference game at Eagles Diamond.
 
The Sharks (20-23, 7-18) had battled back from a 4-1 deficit to the Eagles (22-15, 13-12) before the Eagles grabbed the lead with a trio of doubles in the eighth.
 
Senior leftfielder Jordan Mopas of Ewa Beach, Hawai'i/St. Louis School led the offensive attack for the Sharks, going 3-for-5 with his 10th home run of the season, a triple and three RBIs. Senior first baseman Christian Kapeliela of Kaneohe, Hawai'i/Castle was 1-for-3 with two walks and two runs scored, and junior designated hitter Jake Selco of West Hills, Calif./El Camino Real bashed his fifth homer of the year.
 
Senior righthander Joshua Savea (1-2) of Gold River, Calif./Rio Americano was tagged with the loss in relief, striking out two in 4.2 innings and allowing two runs on four hits and two walks. Sophomore righty Evan Spitzer of Mesa, Ariz./Desert Ridge did not get the decision with the start, picking up three strikeouts in 2.2 innings, but allowing four runs on five hits with three walks. Junior righty Travis Paynter of Port Angeles, Wash./Port Angeles allowed a run on three hits in the final two-thirds of an inning.
 
The Sharks opened the scoring to start the top of the second when Selco sent a 1-0 pitch over the fence in left field for the 1-0 lead.
 
But the Eagles countered in the third when they loaded the bases with two out and Brandon Cody crushed a 2-0 pitch for a grand slam home run and quickly made the contest 4-1 Biola.
 
The Sharks returned volley in the top of the fourth, as Kapeliela walked and Mopas belted a two-run homer to left to pull the Sharks within a run. Selco followed with a walk and was scored when junior third baseman Jalen Bustos of Oakland, Calif./Bishop O'Dowd ripped a RBI double to left center that tied the game at 4-4.
 
HPU took the lead in the fifth, as Kapeliela walked with two out and was driven home on Mopas' RBI triple down the left field line for the 5-4 lead.
 
That score stayed until the bottom of the eighth. After a leadoff walk, Connor Kostecka smacked an RBI double to tie the game. Then Robert Anthony Cruz followed with an RBI double to take the lead and Jerron Largusa chalked up an RBI double for a 7-5 lead. The Sharks kept the score at 7-5 when Cruz tried to score a second run on Largusa's double, but was cut down at the plate for the final out of the inning.
 
HPU got a run back when senior centerfielder Tanner Tokunaga of Pearl City, Hawai 'i/Pearl City drew a leadoff walk and advanced to third on a single by junior rightfielder Sean Coffey of Boise, Idaho/Centennial. Then freshman catcher Kyle Layugan of Wahiawa, Hawai'i/Mid-Pacific Institute dropped a sacrifice squeeze bunt to score Tokunaga pulling the Sharks within one at 7-6. Coffey moved to second on the play and reached third with a wild pitch. But with two out, the Sharks struck out stranding the tying run 90 feet away.
 
Reliever Brayden Englert (4-2) picked up the win, with four strikeouts in five innings and allowing two runs on five hits with three walks. Starter Anthony Villegas went three innings allowing four runs on five hits with three walks and two strikeouts. Josh Ludeman picked up his fourth save with a strikeout in one inning.
 
The Sharks have a Good Friday doubleheader with the Eagles starting at 9 a.m. HST (Noon PDT) at Eagles Diamond.