Final Stats

Box Score

MALIBU, Calif. -- The Pepperdine baseball team dropped its final non-conference game of the regular season on Tuesday, falling 3-1 to Cal State Northridge at home.

Manny Jefferson drove in the lone run of the game for the Waves with his sixth home run of the year as CSUN starter Joe Ryan held the Pepperdine bats in check for most of the afternoon.

The Waves made things interesting against the Matador bullpen, getting a pair of runners on in the eighth and then loading the bases in the ninth, but the home team couldn't get the clutch hit it needed. Nick Costello (Claremont, Calif./Claremont HS) and Jefferson (Lakewood, Calif./Lakewood HS) hit back-to-back singles in the eighth, but were left on base after a double-play got CSUN out of the inning.

In the ninth Chris Fornaci (Walnut Creek, Calif./De La Salle HS) was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and after two outs Aaron Barnett (Mission Viejo, Calif./Capistrano Valley HS) drew a walk and Brandon Caruso (Pasadena, Calif./Loyola HS) singled to load the bases. A called strike three would end the threat and the game, however.

Ryan tossed 7.0 inning for the Matadors, striking out a career-high nine batters and walking just one, while giving up just two hits and one run. The Waves managed only three base-runners against the righty.

A combination of five Pepperdine pitchers kept the Waves in the game to the end, with Kiko Garcia (Chula Vista, Calif./St. Augustine HS) throwing 4.0 innings in the start. Max Green (Rolling Hills Estate, Calif./Palos Verdes Peninsula HS), Evan Dunn (Las Vegas, Nev./Bishop Gorman HS) and Nick Wojtysiak (Scottsdale, Ariz./Fountain Hills HS) all worked perfect seventh, eighth and ninth innings respectively to keep Pepperdine within striking distance down the stretch.

Garcia took the loss in the game after the Matadors scored two runs in the fourth inning, one of which was unearned.

The Waves fall to 25-25 with the loss, while CSUN moves to 29-22. Pepperdine will be back in action this weekend when Gonzaga comes to town for a three-game WCC series to close the regular season. The Waves need one win against the Zags to clinch a spot in the WCC Tournament.