Orange Completes Sweep of Blue With 6-4 Win
11/16/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
ORANGE COMPLETES SWEEP OF BLUE WITH 6-4 WIN
November 15, 2009
Click on the above video for post-series comments from Orange team co-captains Robert Dickmann and Nate Johnson.
- Box Score
MALIBU, Calif. - Freshman relief pitcher Jordan Luvisi (Scottsdale, Arizona/Notre Dame Prep HS) struck out classmate Chris Terry (Los Angeles, Calif./Community Harvest Charter) with the bases loaded in the ninth inning to give Orange a 6-4 win and sweep of the 2009 Pepperdine Blue and Orange World Series Sunday afternoon at Eddy D. Field Stadium.
Orange entered the final frame up 6-0, but Blue cut steadily into the lead and had the go-ahead runs on base when Luvisi caught Terry looking at an inside pitch for a called strike three.
Luvisi was the third pitcher of the inning, following freshmen Jason Simms (Hurst, Texas/Liberty Christian HS) and Ranny Lowe (Granada Hills, Calif./Notre Dame HS).
Simms walked the two batters he faced and watched both of them score on sophomore Tyler Brubaker's (Valencia, Calif./Saugus HS) double to the left-center gap. Brubaker then cut the lead in half, scoring on rookie Nicholas Bozeman's (Burbank, Calif./Burroughs HS) RBI single.
Blue scored its fourth and final run on a wild pitch uncorked by Lowe.
Prior to the nail-biting ninth inning, Orange received solid efforts on the hill from sophomore starter Aaron Gates (Villa Park, Calif./Orange Lutheran HS) and freshman transfer Travis Jones (Dallas, Texas/New Mexico State).
Gates scattered three hits and four walks over six innings with six strikeouts. He walked three straight batters in the second but was able to escape any damage after picking Brubaker leading off second and inducing a slow roller to first off the bat of sophomore Cody Yount (Paradise Valley, Ariz./Chaparral HS).
Gates caught another break in the sixth when right fielder Casey Rhoades (Thousand Oaks, Calif./Westlake HS) was there to back up his errant pickoff attempt at first base and gunned down senior catcher Trent Diedrich (Fresno, Calif./Bullard HS) sliding into second.
Gates struck out the side in the sixth and went on to be named Pitcher of the Tournament by the Waves' coaching staff. Sunday marked Gates' lone appearance on the mound, but at the plate he hit .429 with four bases on balls, three singles, two RBI and two runs scored.
Orange's junior shortstop Miles Silverstein (Calabasas, Calif./Bell Canyon HS) received MVP honors for the second straight year at this series. Silverstein batted .364 with a home run, two runs driven in and a pair of stolen bases. He also played errorless ball in the field with through seven chances.
Whereas the defense was a blessing for Orange, it was sometimes a curse for the Blue.
A first-inning throwing error by Blue's shortstop following a Nate Johnson (Camarillo, Calif./Camarillo HS) stolen base led to one of two Orange runs, and in the ninth, Orange scored its final run on a sacrifice fly made possible by consecutive passed balls.
Blue's freshman starter Cory Jones (Simi Valley, Calif./Simi Valley HS) settled down nicely following the rough first inning, compiling a game-high seven strikeouts over 5.2 innings. Jones struck out both sophomore transfer Chris Amezquita (La Mirada, Calif./UCLA) and sophomore Mike Hole (Vancouver, B.C./St. Georges School) twice and also received defensive help from his second baseman Joe Sever (San Jose, Calif./Bellarmine College Preparatory), who leaped to catch a rising line drive with runners in scoring position.
Jones was relieved by freshman Brian McIlhenny (Scottsdale, Ariz./Brophy College Preparatory) and junior Brad Jesernig (Olympia, Wash./Capital HS), each of whom surrendered one run from the sixth through ninth innings.
Brubaker led Blue's offense in this series, hitting .500 (3-for-6) with two doubles and three RBI.
Pepperdine Baseball returns to the diamond Friday, Feb. 19 for its Opening Day game at Long Beach State, which will be followed by a second road game at Cal State Fullerton and the home opener on Sunday, Feb. 21 against Oregon.
In between, the baseball program is playing host to a pair of fundraising golf tournaments. This Monday (Nov. 16), players, coaches and supporters will be gathering at the Moorpark Country Club for the inaugural Patrick Rooney Memorial, then on Dec. 14, the Waves' return to Thousand Oaks and the Sherwood Country Club for the Big League Golf Experience.
Information for both tournaments can be found on the baseball page at pepperdinesports.com.
