Final Stats

Box Score

MALIBU, Calif. - A six-run sixth inning sank the Pepperdine baseball team in its season opener on Friday, as the Waves fell to Tulane 9-3 at home.

Pepperdine grabbed an early 2-0 lead and looked to be cruising through five innings, but the Green Wave exploded for five hits and six runs in the sixth inning to pull away.

The Waves scored in the second and third, getting an RBI double from Manny Jefferson (Lakewood, Calif./Lakewood HS) and a sacrifice fly from Brad Anderson (Yorba Linda, Calif./Esperanza HS) to open up a two-run lead. Pepperdine had a chance to break the game open in the fourth, loading the bases with one out, but a 5-2-3 double play got Tulane out of the jam.

Pepperdine worked its way out of a no out, bases loaded jam in the fifth, getting a grounder to Chris Fornaci (Walnut Creek, Calif./De La Salle HS) at third, who tagged the runner and threw to first for the double play. Wave starter A.J. Puckett (Danville, Calif./De La Salle HS) then struck the next batter out looking to end the threat. Puckett allowed just three hits and no runs through five innings of work.

Tulane opened the sixth with a solo homer and would follow with a two-run shot later in the frame. An RBI double and two-run single later in the inning would chase Puckett. The Green Wave would add another run in the seventh and then two more in the top of the ninth before Pepperdine got on the board one last time in the final frame.

Tim Yandel and Grant Brown each had two-run homers in the game for Tulane, and Jake Rogers went 3-for-4 at the plate.

Aaron Barnett (Mission Viejo, Calif./Capistrano Valley HS) led the Waves with a pair of hits on the day. Freshman Jordan Qsar (El Cajon, Calif./Valhalla HS) drove in the final run for Pepperdine with a pinch-hit single up the middle.

After the Waves chased Tulane starter Corey Merrill in the fourth inning, Eric Steel came in to toss 4.2 innings and pick up the win. Steel allowed one hit and no runs to move to 1-0.

Pepperdine used four relievers after Puckett left the game.

The Waves open the season 0-1 with the loss, while Tulane goes to 1-0. The two teams will be back at it tomorrow as they continue their three-game set with a 1 p.m. start.