Final Stats

Box Score

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. - The Pepperdine baseball team dropped a wild game to Cal Poly on the road Tuesday night, falling 6-5 in the bottom of the ninth to the Mustangs.

Pepperdine came back to tie the game in the eighth inning and then again had to tie it back up in the top of the ninth, but Cal Poly had answers each time, dealing the final blow with a walk-off single in the final frame.

The Waves fall to 3-5 on the year, while Cal Poly moves to 7-2.

Pepperdine broke through in the top of the eighth inning after a slow offensive start, scoring three runs to take the lead. Matthew Kanfer (Playa Del Rey, Calif./L.A.C.E.S.) doubled in two runs and then Chris Fornaci (Walnut Creek, Calif./De La Salle HS) followed with an RBI single to put the Waves up 4-3.

The Mustangs would come right back in the bottom half of the eighth, scoring runs on a wild pitch and error to go back up, 5-4. Pepperdine got a leadoff single by Chase Lambert (Malibu, Calif./Malibu HS) in the ninth and Aaron Barnett (Mission Viejo, Calif./Capistrano Valley HS) followed with a walk to give the Waves runners on first and second with no outs. Pepperdine would score on a passed ball to even the contest at 5-5.

It was not to be for the Waves, however, as two strikeouts ended the inning and the Mustangs were able to come up with the game-winning hit in the bottom of the ninth. Kevin Morgan hit a single through the right side of the infield to bring home the final run and give the home team the win.

Cal Poly struck first in the game, scoring a run on an RBI groundout in the bottom of the second inning. The Mustangs added a second run in the fifth inning on a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch.

Pepperdine finally broke through in the top of the sixth. Ben Rodriguez (Scottsdale, Ariz./Desert Mountain HS) led the inning off with a double and was later brought home on a two-out single by Austin Bernard (Valley Center, Calif./Valley Center HS). Cal Poly had an answer in the bottom half of the inning, scoring on an infield single to make it 3-1.

Matt Gelalich (La Verne, Calif./Bonita HS) tripled with one out in the top of the seventh, but he was left on third after a pair of groundouts ended the inning. The Mustangs would load the bases in the bottom of the seventh, but Jonathan Pendergast (San Diego, Calif./Catherdral Catholic HS) came in to get a flyout to right to end the threat and keep the Waves close.

Kanfer and Manny Jefferson (Lakewood, Calif./Lakewood HS) each had two hits for the Waves, Alex McKenna and Kyle Marinconz each had three hits for Cal Poly.

The Waves will be back in action this weekend when they head to Tulane for a three-game series starting on Friday.