Final Stats

Box Score

NORTHRIDGE, Calif. - The Pepperdine baseball team won its final regular-season non-conference matchup on Tuesday, downing CSUN 3-1 on the road.

The Waves made a three-run fourth inning stand up for the final five frames to move to 26-21 on the year. CSUN falls to 31-17.

The Matadors got the scoring started, plating a run thanks to a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the third inning. Matt Gelalich (La Verne, Calif./Bonita HS) prevented any further damage, though, with a highlight reel catch in centergfield, laying out to snag a sinking liner that ended the inning.

Pepperdine came right back to take the lead in the top of the fourth. Ben Rodriguez (Scottsdale, Ariz./Desert Mountain HS) tied the game with a double down the left field line and then an RBI groundout from Brandon Caruso (Pasadena, Calif./Loyola HS) put the Waves ahead. Rodriguez was brought home on a double in the right-center gap by Matt Crowder (Atherton, Calif.//BYU) to make it 3-1 in favor of the visitors.

Jonathan Pendergast (San Diego, Calif./Catherdral Catholic HS) entered the game in the third inning and after giving up the early run, worked 4.2 innings, giving up just one hit and one run. Evan Dunn (Las Vegas, Nev./Bishop Gorman HS) relieved Pendergast with two runners on and two outs in the seventh, getting a ground ball to second to end the threat and preserve the Waves' lead.

It was Kiko Garcia (Chula Vista, Calif./St. Augustine HS) who would enter with runners on first and second, and one out in the bottom of the eighth, getting a 5-3 double-play to end the inning on the third pitch he threw. Garcia stayed in to close it out in the ninth, picking up his second save of the year. Pendergast moved to 3-3 with the win.

Aaron Barnett (Mission Viejo, Calif./Capistrano Valley HS), Rodriguez and Crowder each had two-hit days for the Waves. Five different Matadors recorded singles in the game.

The Waves close out the regular season this weekend with three-game home series against Pacific. Pepperdine needs either two wins or a win and a San Diego loss to secure a spot in the West Coast Conference Tournament. The first game of the series will be Friday afternoon at 3 p.m. All three games can be seen live on TheW.tv.