MALIBU, Calif. - The Pepperdine baseball team got in front early with a 4-1 lead but could not keep the momentum going as Western Michigan hit two homeruns en route to an 11-4 win to take game one of the series.

The Waves (1-4) came out swinging in the first inning and jumped out to a 2-0 lead. A reciprocated run in the bottom half of the inning would propel the Waves to tack on two more, leading 4-1 by the end of the second. A grand slam by Grady Mee catapulted WMU (3-2) in front 6-4 in the fourth where they would run away with the game, tacking seven more runs on throughout the latter innings, ending in an 11-4 loss for Pepperdine. 

BIG WAVES 

Junior infielder Justin Rubin (Bryn Mawr, Pa.) was 4-for-5 on the day including a double and RBI.

Senior outfielder Connor Bradshaw (New Rochelle, N.Y.) tallied two RBI's in his four appearances at the plate. 

GAME RECAP

Pepperdine started red hot on offense leading off with a single from graduate outfielder Nick Upstill (Huntington Beach, Calif.). Rubin kept the momentum going with a single before taking advantage of a wild pitch and advancing to second. Next up, Bradshaw would ground out to allow Upstill to score from third and Rubin to advance to third. Rubin proceeded to score on a balk while redshirt senior Connor Walsh (Niceville, Fla.) advanced to third after singling to center. The Waves ended the inning up 2-0. 

The Broncos got one back in the bottom of the first, but the Waves picked up right where they left off, starting with a leadoff double down the leftfield line from junior Julian Nunez (Encinitas, Calif.). Rubin matched with his own double, scoring Nunez. Up next, Bradshaw knocked Rubin in off a single to right. Pepperdine ended the second up 4-1. 

WMU jump–started their offense in the top of the fourth with a grand slam, putting them up 6-4. The Broncos took the game from the fourth, adding another home run into the mix from CJ Richmond, leading 8-4 by the end of the fifth. 

Pepperdine was unable to find an answer for the WMU offense as three more runs were added by the end of the game. The Waves fell to the Broncos with a final score of 11-4.

UP NEXT

Pepperdine will be back in action tomorrow Saturday, Feb. 24 at Eddy D. Field Stadium to play a double-header against Western Michigan with game one beginning at 10:00 a.m. and game two beginning 30 minutes following the conclusion of the first.