April 8, 2011
Box Score
Pepperdine and Portland Box Score (April 8, 2011) 
PORTLAND, Ore. - The Waves blasted three home runs in as many innings to start their game at Portland up 5-0. But the bullpen squandered the lead down the stretch and Pepperdine left Joe Etzel Field Friday afternoon saddled with a tough 7-6 (10) loss in the West Coast Conference season opener for both teams.
Riley Henricks scored the game-winning run with one out on the second of two wild pitches by Ricky Villarreal (Edinburg, Texas/Edinburg HS), improving the Pilots' season record to 11-15 (1-0 WCC). Pepperdine fell to 14-15 (0-1 WCC).
Early on, however, it appeared the Waves would cruise to an easy victory. Brian Humphries (El Cajon, Calif./Granite Hills HS) slammed a two-run shot in the first, then in the second, Sam Meyer (Los Altos, Calif./St. Francis HS) made it a 4-0 game with his first career home run lifted over the wall in center field.
Chris Amezquita (La Mirada, Calif./Servite HS) crushed an Owen Jones pitch in leading off the third inning - his second of the season - pushing the Pepperdine advantage to 5-0.
Jones, the Portland starter, settled down afterward and allowed just one more runner to score beyond the third - a sixth-inning unearned run driven in by Zach Vincej (Saugus, Calif./Saugus HS) on a foul out down the first-base side.
After the sixth inning - through which they had 11 hits - the Waves managed just one more against three Pilot relievers. They loaded the bases in the ninth against Chris Dennis on two walks and a hit by pitch, but the All-American closer rebounded with a strikeout of Trent Diedrich (Fresno, Calif./Bullard HS).
Portland initiated its comeback bid with two runs in the fourth off starter Matt Maurer (Medford, Ore./North Medford HS), who in his first conference start struck out seven over 6.1 innings of work. The Pilots loaded the bases against Maurer that frame on two hits and a walk, and Tyler Thompson capitalized on the situation with two-run single to right.
A second free pass to Ben Grubb again loaded the bases for Portland, but Maurer got leadoff man Craig Smith to line out to Vincej for the start of an unassisted double play.
The Pilots' rally continued with another run in the seventh, scoring on a wild pitch issued by Eric Karch (Fresno, Calif./Clovis West HS), and one frame later, the home team tied the game with two outs vs. relievers Brian McIlhenny (Scottsdale, Ariz./Brophy College Preparatory) and Villarreal.
With Grubb at first base, McIlhenny got two quick fly outs but then issued a walk to Henricks, which set up Turner Gill's two-run single to left center. Matt Mardesich's RBI double off Villarreal brought home Gill, representing the game-tying run.
Portland and Pepperdine conclude their series Saturday with an 11 a.m. doubleheader. The Waves have swept two of their four twin bills this season, split one other at East Carolina, and were swept on the road by Fresno State.
The Pilots and Waves opted to move up Sunday's game since the current forecast is calling for showers and a high temperature of 54 degrees.
Portland 7, Pepperdine 6 (Apr 08, 2011 at Portland, Ore.)
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Pepperdine.......... 221 001 000 0 - 6 12 1 (14-15, 0-1 WCC)
Portland............ 000 200 130 1 - 7 14 1 (11-15, 1-0 WCC)
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Pitchers: Pepperdine - Maurer, Matt; KARCH, Eric(7); McILHENNY, Brian(7); VILLARREAL, Ricky(8)
and . Portland - JONES, O; NICE, Z(7); MILLER, B(8); DENNIS, C(9) and .
Win-DENNIS, C(1-2) Loss-VILLARREAL, Ricky(1-3) T-3:23 A-532
HR PEP - Amezquita, Chris (2); Humphries, Brian (2); Meyer, Sam (1).
Weather: Sunny, 60 degrees
