Waves Down Pacific in Game One of WCC Series

Friday, March 25

Malibu, Calif.

3:00 p.m. PT

Pepperdine University

12-8, 0

Pacific

7-13, 0

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
PACIFIC	0	2	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	4	9	1
Pepperdine	1	1	0	0	1	3	1	1	X	8	12	1

Charles Masino

Photo by: Morgan Davenport

3/25/2022 9:16:00 PM | Baseball

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By: by Athletic Communications

MALIBU, California – The Pepperdine baseball team defeated Pacific 8-4 on Friday afternoon at Eddy D. Field Stadium. This is the second week in a row that the Waves took game one in a West Coast Conference series.

The Waves (12-8, 2-2) and Tigers (7-13, 0-4) went back and forth through the first five innings, but a three-run bottom of the sixth inning for Pepperdine secured the win.

BIG WAVES

Sophomore infielder John Peck (Moorpark, Calif/Moorpark HS) was 2-for-2 on the day with one RBI and scored two runs. Peck reached base in all five plate appearances including two hit-by-pitches and a walk.
Sophomore designated hitter Charles Masino (Newbury Park, Calif./Oaks Christian HS) went 2-for-4 with one RBI.
Junior catcher Ryan Johnson (Tempe, Ariz./Seton Catholic HS) had two hits on the day including a double.
Graduate student outfielder Mike Malinchak (Delray Beach, Fla./American Heritage HS) had two hits including a double and one RBI.
Sophomore RHP Brandon Llewellyn (Colleyville, Texas/IMG Academy) threw 6.0 innings and struck out three hitters. Llewellyn collected his third win of the season.

GAME RECAP

Pepperdine took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning after Masino scored on a ground ball to second. Pacific answered back with two runs of its own in the top of the second to take the lead 2-1. The Waves led off the bottom of the second with a double by Johnson and Greg Mehlhaff (Gresham, Ore./Clackamas HS) moved Johnson to third on a ground ball. Masino hit a single down the right-field line to tie the game at 2-2.

In the bottom of the fifth, Masino hit another single down the right-field line. Peck followed with a single of his own. With one out, Malinchak singled down the right-field line to advance Peck to third. Connor Bradshaw (New Rochelle, N.Y./Trinity-Pawling HS) hit a sacrifice fly deep into left field and put the Waves back on top at 3-2.

In the top of the sixth inning, the Tigers tied the game at 3-3. Quintt Landis (Westlake Village, Calif/Oaks Christian HS) led off the bottom of the sixth with a double down the left-field line. Johnson roped one to right center for a double that advanced Landis to third. With the bases loaded and one out, Cam Conley (Lincoln University, Pa./Malvern Prep) drew a walk that scored a runner to give Pepperdine back the lead at 4-3. Masino hit one up the middle that took the Tigers toward the bag for the second out, but Johnson was able to score and increase the lead at 5-3. Peck hit a single through the right side which scored the third run of the inning and gave the Waves a 6-3 lead.

Bradshaw sent a rocket back to the pitcher for a single and was able to advance to second on the throw to first in the bottom of the seventh inning. Nolan Lingley (Tracy, Calif./Ripon Christian School) hit an RBI single to center field to extend the lead to 7-3. In the bottom of the eighth, Peck was hit by a pitch and advanced to third on a Malinchak double to right center. Landis hit a ball deep to right field that scored the final insurance run for the Waves at 8-3.

In the final frame, Pacific was able to get one run back and make it 8-4, but Jack Baird (Parker, Colo./Legend HS) collected a strikeout for the final out of the game and his first save of the season.

UP NEXT

Pepperdine and Pacific face off in game two of the series on Saturday, March 26 with first pitch set for 1 p.m. The game will be streamed on the WCC Network.