Final Stats

Box Score

MALIBU, Calif. " The Pepperdine baseball team opened its season at home on Friday, falling to the Oakland Golden Grizzlies 7-3 in the first game of a three-game series.

Pepperdine couldn't get the bats going until late, but the Waves' two runs in the ninth weren't enough to spark a comeback. The loss drops Pepperdine to 0-1, while Oakland starts the year 1-0. The two teams will continue the series Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m. in Malibu.

Oakland got on the board first, scoring an unearned run in the top of the second and then got a two-run single from Ben Hart to take a 3-0 lead in the third.

The Waves answered with a run in the bottom of the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Brad Anderson (Yorba Linda, Calif./Esperanza HS), but an interference call on what looked like a sure stolen base ended the inning.

After the Grizzlies got a run back in the sixth, freshman Jordan Jackson hit a three-run homer in the top of the eighth to give the visitors a 7-1 advantage.

After managing five hits through the first eight innings, the Waves smacked four singles in the ninth to plate a pair of runs, but it wasn't enough as Pepperdine left the bases full on a popup in foul ground. Chris Fornaci (Walnut Creek, Calif./De La Salle HS) drew a walk with one out and the bases loaded to score the first run and then freshman Matthew Kanfer (Playa Del Rey, Calif./L.A.C.E.S.) lined a pinch-hit single back up the middle with two outs for the Waves' second score of the inning.

Jordan Qsar (El Cajon, Calif./Valhalla HS), Brandon Caruso (Pasadena, Calif./Loyola HS) and Nick Costello (Claremont, Calif./Claremont HS) each had two-hit days for Pepperdine. Hart went 3-for-3 with two RBI for Oakland and Matt Dileo also posted two RBI.

First pitch tomorrow will be at 1 p.m., with all the action broadcast live on TheW.tv.