IRVINE, CA --- Thanks to a combined shutout by two freshman hurlers in the finale, Concordia earned its second twin bill split in a week against the NAIA's No. 2-ranked Point Loma Nazarene, falling by a 5-1 tally in the opener before recovering with a 2-0 victory in the nightcap.

The Eagles improve to 11-11 on the season, including 3-9 in Golden State Athletic Conference play, while the Sea Lions end the day at 16-5-1, 8-3 GSAC.

Freshman right-hander Ryan Goodbrand (2-1) earned the win in game two, going five shutout innings where he allowed five hits and walked two while registering two strikeouts.

Goodbrand stranded eight baserunners over his five innings, including five runners in scoring position, but he pitched out of each jam.

"It was good to see a freshman grow up today," head coach Mike Grahovac said. "Ryan got in some tough situations, but he was able to get some of Point Loma's best hitters out using good location. He handled himself well in some tight spots, so we're proud of him."

In the third, Goodbrand found himself in a one-out situation with two runners in scoring position and the middle of Point Loma's lineup coming to the plate, but he induced a ground ball that junior third baseman Danny Casey turned into an out at the plate for the second out.

Junior second baseman Robbie Knowles made a diving stab to record the final out--the second of his two outstanding diving plays on the day--and help Goodbrand preserve a 2-0 lead.

Knowles had driven in a run with a sacrifice fly in Concordia's two-run rally in the second inning, after junior catcher Justin Baeza singled in a run with the bases loaded.

Goodbrand's shutout was kept intact with two scoreless frames from freshman righty Blake Harrison, who retired the side with two out and two in scoring position in the seventh to pick up his second save of the year.

"Blake Harrison came in from the bullpen and did what he's done all this year," Grahovac said. "He got some clutch outs for us."

Point Loma starter Robby Ross went six innings, allowing two unearned runs on four hits, no walks and five strikeouts, but falls to 1-1.

In the opener, junior left-hander Melvin Blackmon Jr. (1-3) was touched up for five runs (four earned) on five hits and four walks against six strikeouts.

The Eagles were unable to capitalize on four Sea Lion errors in game one, mostly owing to a seven-inning, two-hit performance from Point Loma starter Chad Blauer, who needed just 107 pitches in the outing.

Knowles finished game one with two hits, and he was beaned in the eighth inning to eventually set up an RBI single by senior catcher John Hill to acount for the Eagles' only run of the game.

Point Loma scored two runs in the third on a two-run homer by Allen Boyer and added single runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh to help Blauer improve to 5-0.

Concordia next plays a non-conference tilt at NAIA foe Cal State San Marcos this Monday (March 15), starting at 6 p.m. at Poway High School.