MALIBU, Calif. - The Pepperdine baseball team lost the first of a three game series to Pacific.
 
The Waves (5-17) came out swinging to match the Tigers (5-16) before both sides went quiet for the majority of the game. Tied at two going into the last four innings, Pacific was able to add a run in the sixth and one in the seventh before Pepperdine would get one back. Ultimately, two home runs would set Pacific up for the win, beating Pepperdine 9-6 in the opening game of the series.
 
BIG WAVES
 
Graduate infielder Brady Renck (Longmont, Colo.) went 3-for-5 today including 2 RBIs in the eighth inning.
 
Freshman utility player Corwin Hemmingsen (Cave Creek, Ariz.) hit 2-for-5 with an RBI.
 
RECAP
 
The Tigers spared no time getting on the scoreboard hitting four singles and bringing in two runs to start the game in the first inning.
 
Renck would get things started for the Waves and single to right field before senior outfielder Connor Bradshaw (New Rochelle, N.Y.) singled to the pitcher and put two on with nobody out. After a wild pitch, senior infielder Charles Masino (Newbury Park, Calif.) scored Renck on a ground ball to the shortstop. Hemmingsen was up next, sending a ball sailing to right field and scoring Bradshaw. Pepperdine would end the inning tied with Pacific 2-2.
 
The next four innings would be scoreless from both ends as sophomore RHP Nick Bonn (Laguna Beach, Calif) did his part on the mound to keep the Tigers scoreless through 12 outs.
 
Pacific would take the lead in the sixth and add to it in the seventh with a solo home run, leading 4-2 heading to the bottom of the inning.
 
Senior outfielder Connor Walsh (Nceville, Fla.) led things off for the offense, singling to left field. Renck would step up to the plate with two on after junior catcher Andrew Savage (Woodstock, Ontario, Canada) was hit by a pitch. Laying down a near-perfect bunt down the third base line, Renck loaded the bases with nobody out. Bradshaw would capitalize on the opportunity, hitting a sacrificial fly into center and cut the Tigers lead to one by the end of the seventh inning.
 
A three-run home run by Pacific in the top of the eighth inning after back-to-back singles made this game that much harder to reach. Pepperdine trailed 7-3 going to the bottom of the inning.
 
The Waves started the inning with back-to-back singles of their own, one by Hemmingsen and one by Junior infielder Luke Pemberton (Boulder, Colo.). After a pitching change, Savage loaded the bases with a walk. Renck, for the second time today, added to his RBIs with a single to left field, scoring two. After another walk, bases were loaded as Bradshaw took first. A wild pitch would score another run before the end of the inning. Pepperdine would trail just 7-6 going to the final inning.
 
A one-out double would put Pacific in position to add to their lead and after getting two on base, a single to left added two insurance runs for the Tigers.
 
Despite two on with the tying run at the plate, the Waves were unable to mount a comeback and would drop game one of the series 9-6.
 
UP NEXT
 
Pepperdine will play game two of the three game series against Pacific tomorrow March 23 at 1 p.m. at Eddy D. Field Stadium.