Final Stats

Box Score

LONG BEACH, Calif. - The Pepperdine baseball team rallied late, but couldn't pull off another ninth-inning comeback as the Waves fell 3-2 at Long Beach State on Tuesday night.

Just days after picking up a 2-1 walkoff win over Tulane, Pepperdine had two runners in scoring position in the ninth against the Dirtbags, but couldn't come up with the hit they needed to pull off the comeback.

The Waves bats were held quiet until the seventh, when, trailing 2-0, Pepperdine plated a pair of runs. With two outs, Kolten Yamaguchi (Kona, Hawai'i/Konawaena HS) hit a fly to deep center field that was dropped, allowing him to make it safely to second and Chris Fornaci (Walnut Creek, Calif./De La Salle HS) to score. Manny Jefferson (Lakewood, Calif./Lakewood HS) then stepped up and drove a line drive up the middle to score Yamaguchi and tie the game.

Long Beach State answered, however, with a run in the bottom half of the inning, to go back up 3-2.

Pepperdine again mounted a rally in the top of the ninth, again aided by an error on a popup to the pitcher that allowed the leadoff runner to reach safely. A double off the wall one batter late by Yamaguchi, gave the Waves runners on second and third with just one out. That's where the comeback stalled, however, as Dirtbag closer Ty Provencher struck out the next two batters to end the threat and the game.

Pepperdine used five different pitchers in the game, allowing seven hits and three runs all together. Jordan Qsar (El Cajon, Calif./Valhalla HS) took the loss in relief. Kiko Garcia (Chula Vista, Calif./St. Augustine HS) made his first collegiate start in the game, going four innings and giving up two hits and just one run.

Long Beach State scored in the opening frame and then were held quiet until the bottom of the sixth, when the Dirtbags took a 2-0 lead on an RBI single by pinch-hitter Alex Bishop.

Austin McGeorge got the win in relief for the Dirtbags, as the home team used six pitchers in the game. Long Beach State starter Ryan Cruz tossed five innings, giving up one hit and no runs, while striking out nine batters.

The Waves fall to 1-3 with the loss, while the Dirtbags improve to 3-1. Pepperdine returns home this weekend to host Butler for a three-game series.