SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – Three different Waves hit home runs and
Zach Chonkich collected his first career win since switching over to a pitcher as the Pepperdine baseball team defeated San Francisco 8-5 to even the series on Saturday afternoon at Benedetti Stadium.
The Waves (12-20, 5-9) and Dons (14-16, 5-9) were scoreless after the first inning. Pepperdine took the lead in the top of the second 2-0, but San Francisco cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the second. The Waves were able to extend the lead to 5-1, although the Dons tied it in the bottom half of the sixth with four runs.
Jack Basseer roped a go-ahead solo blast in the top of the eighth inning to make it 6-5 and the momentum stayed in favor of the Waves as they added two insurance runs in the top of the ninth.
BIG WAVES
- Junior outfielder Connor Bradshaw (New Rochelle, N.Y./Trinity Pawling HS) was 3-for-4 on the day including a double and a two-run home run. Bradshaw tied his career-high in RBI with three.
- Junior outfielder Charles Masino (Newbury Park, Calif./Oaks Christian HS) was also 3-for-4 including a solo home run, a walk and crossed the plate twice. Masino also hit a home run in game one and this is the first time in his career to have two consecutive games with a homer.
- Freshman infielder Jack Basseer (Pleasanton, Calif./Foothill HS) was 2-for-3 including a double, a home run and two RBI. This is the second time this season Basseer has hit a double and home run in the same game.
- Junior RHP Zach Chonkich (Redlands, Calif./Redlands HS) threw 1.2 innings in relief to collect his first career win as a Wave. Chonkich only allowed two hits, a walk and struck out a career-high three batters.
- Graduate student RHP Jack Baird (Parker, Colo./Legend HS) threw 2.0 innings in relief allowing only two hits and striking out two Dons' hitters to earn his fourth save of the season.
GAME RECAP
In the top of the second inning,
Quintt Landis (Westlake Village, Calif./Oaks Christian HS) and
Charles Masino hit back-to-back singles, including bringing
Quintt Landis to third to give the Waves runners on the corners. Masino advanced to second on a Dons' passed ball.
Jack Basseer then hit a deep sac fly to center to bring in the first run of the game.
Connor Bradshaw hit a RBI double to give the Waves an early 2-0 lead. In the bottom of the second, the Dons got a run back after a triple and a sac fly, 2-1.
In the top of the fourth inning, with one out and a 3-2 count, the next pitch Masino sent out of the park to give Pepperdine a 3-1 lead. Basseer then sent a double to right center. On a 1-2 count for Bradshaw, he then smacked a two-run home run to right center to make it 5-1. In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Dons scored four runs on four hits to tie the game 5-all.
After a scoreless seventh inning for both squads, Basseer hit a go-ahead solo home run to give Pepperdine the lead back 6-5. The Waves added two insurance runs in the top of the final frame to make it 8-5. In the bottom half of the ninth, the Dons got their lead off man on with an infield single.
Jack Baird struck out the second hitter. San Francisco took advantage of a wild pitch and had a runner in scoring position on second. Baird sat down the third hitter for the second out of the inning. San Francisco was then called out on a batter's interference which ended the game for a Pepperdine victory.
UP NEXT
The series finale between the Waves and Dons will be on Sunday, April 16 with first pitch set for 12 p.m. The game will be streamed live on the WCC Network.
