FULLERTON, California – Cam Conley had a career day with three hits including his first collegiate home run, as the Pepperdine baseball team completed the sweep with a 12-8 victory over Cal State Fullerton on Sunday afternoon at Goodwin Field.
The Waves (8-3) tied their season high in hits, collecting 16 compared to the Titans' (2-8) 13. Pepperdine had three home runs, which is a season high. It's the first time that the Waves have swept a regular-season series from the Titans since 1999, although that was only two games.
BIG WAVES
- Freshman infielder Cam Conley (Lincoln University, Pa./Malvern Prep) was 3-for-5, with a solo home run and three runs scored.
- Sophomore outfielder Connor Bradshaw (New Rochelle, N.Y./Trinity-Pawling HS) went 3-for-5 including two doubles and a triple. He also had three RBI and crossed the plate three times.
- Sophomore infielder John Peck (Moorpark, Calif./Moorpark HS) was 2-for-4 with two runs scored.
- Junior infielder Ryan Johnson (Tempe, Ariz./Seton Catholic HS) had two hits including a two-run home run and had three RBI.
- Graduate student outfielder Mike Malinchak (Delray Beach, Fla./American Heritage HS) had two hits including a solo blast. He also had two RBI.
- Graduate student RHP Dane Morrow (Malibu, Calif./Oaks Christian HS) threw 4.2 innings and had five strikeouts.
- Junior LHP Nathan Diamond (Oak Park, Ill./Oak and River Forest HS) threw 3.0 innings giving up three hits and striking out two batters. Diamond collected his first win of the season.
GAME RECAP
The Waves' started the game with three straight hits including an RBI single by Johnson to give Pepperdine the 1-0 lead early in the first.
Devon Walczykowski (El Dorado Hills, Calif./Jesuit HS) grounded out to the pitcher, but a run came across the plate to make it 2-0. Malinchak hit an RBI single up the middle to give the Waves a 3-0 lead in the first inning. The Titans scored a run in the bottom of the first after a lead off double and single to the Waves' shortstop to make it 3-1. Following a scoreless second inning, Cal State Fullerton tied the game 3-3 in the bottom of the third inning on a wild pitch and an RBI up the middle.
Pepperdine took back the lead in the top of the fourth after Conley went yard to left field to make it 4-3. Cal State Fullerton answered the Waves back with a solo home run of its own in the bottom of the fourth to tie the game at 4-4. After Peck led off the top of the fifth inning with a single up the middle, Bradshaw hit an RBI triple to right center to get the Waves back on top at 5-4. Walczykowski hit a double to right field to score a run to make it 6-4. The Titans took their only lead of the game at 7-6 in the bottom of the fifth inning after an RBI double and a two-run home run.
In the top of the sixth inning,
Nolan Lingley (Tracy, Calif./Ripon Christian School) pinch hit and roped a double to left center. Conley hit a single and advanced to second on a passed ball, putting runners in scoring position for
Quintt Landis (Westlake Village, Calif./Oaks Christian HS). Landis hit an RBI single to tie the game at 7-7. Bradshaw hit an RBI fielder's choice to score the eighth run for the Waves. Pepperdine held Cal State Fullerton through the bottom of the sixth and seventh. Conley led off the eighth inning with a single to left. Bradshaw poked a double to left center scoring Conley to make it 9-7, which ultimately became the game-winning run. Johnson hit a two-run blast for the Waves to give them an 11-7 lead.
The Titans led off the bottom of the eighth inning with a double to left center and had an RBI single to make it 11-8. In the top of the final inning, Malinchak went yard to left field for another insurance run to make it 12-8. Pepperdine secured the series sweep on a double play with a ground ball to Conley who tossed it to Peck at the bag, and then threw it to Walczykowski at first.
UP NEXT
Pepperdine will travel to Long Beach to visit Long Beach State for a midweek matchup on Tuesday, March 8. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.
