MALIBU, Calif. – The Pepperdine baseball team stays home this weekend in a three-game series against the San Diego Toreros.  In a crucial matchup, the Toreros currently sit at fourth in the West Coast Conference rankings with a record of 8-4 while the Waves are one notch below at fifth with a record of 6-6.

SCHEDULE:
GAME #1 — Pepperdine (12-25, 6-6) vs. San Diego (23-12, 8-4) | Friday, April 19 | 3 p.m. | Eddy D. Field Stadium | Malibu, Calif.
GAME #2 — Pepperdine vs. San Diego| Saturday, April 20 | 1 p.m. | Eddy D. Field Stadium | Malibu, Calif.
GAME #3 — Pepperdine vs. San Diego | Sunday, April 21 | 1 p.m. | Eddy D. Field Stadium | Malibu, Calif.

COVERAGE: All three games will be streamed on ESPN+ (subscription required). Links to broadcasts as well as live stats will be available at pepperdinewaves.com.

OPPONENTS:  Overall, Pepperdine is 23-37 against San Diego. At Eddy D. Field, the Waves are .500 in a 13-13 record when facing the Toreros. Last series, Pepperdine took one of three in a 8-3 win with senior infielder Charles Masino batting 3-for-5 to highlight the offense.  

LAST GAMES: Pepperdine traveled north to play the Santa Clara Broncos (18-16, 6-6) last weekend, getting swept for the first time in WCC play this season, dropping to .500 and fifth in the standings. The Waves come off a rough 1-9 loss to California State Northridge (20-14, 8-4) at Eddy D. FIeld Stadium Tuesday afternoon.

Pepperdine left 11 on base, struggling to capitalize with runners in scoring position.

With nine hits, the Madators placed the ball perfectly throughout the game and with the help of a home run in the seventh, scored nine runs to take the midweek matchup.
 
Graduate outfielder Nick Upstill (Huntington Beach, Calif.) went 2-for-3 today, the only one of the Waves with a multi-hit game.
 
Junior infielder Julian Nunez (Encinitas, Calif.) recorded a hit and turned two double plays defensively.
 
 
WCC PRESEASON: Pepperdine is predicted to finish seventh in the West Coast Conference this year. The whole list is as follows: 1. Santa Clara; 2. San Diego; 3. Portland; T4. Saint Mary's; T4. LMU; 6. Gonzaga; 7. Pepperdine; 8. San Francisco; 9. Pacific.

THE SQUAD: The Waves return 21 players from last year's squad including three returning starters in the field and two of the three weekend starting pitchers. Pepperdine welcomes 18 newcomers, including nine transfers.

On the pitching side this season, Friday starter sophomore RHP Nick Bonn has recorded 32 strikeouts through 48 innings pitched. He has started all six games he has appeared in, with an overall season record of 0-3.

Redshirt sophomore Tommy Scavone has a team-low ERA of 3.42 in his seven appearances for the Waves, including six starts. Scavone has 28 strikeouts through 26 innings pitched with only two walks.

The Waves to keep an eye on going into this weekend are graduate student Brady Renck, junior infielder Justin Rubin, and senior outfielder Connor Bradshaw.

Renck, a transfer from Longmont College, has started in all but one of Pepperdine's games this season. Leading the team in doubles and triples, the second baseman has been a force to be reckoned with for defenses.

Current designated hitter Rubin started in 10 games before being sidelined for about a month due to injury. Recording a hit in all but two of his appearances, Rubin is amongst the best on the team with a .361 batting average.

A four-year player for Pepperdine, Bradshaw is having his best year of his career. Hitting a .322 with a team-tied leading four home runs, he is one of the Waves best offensive threats. With 47 hits, he is just seven back from leading the WCC and currently sits at fifth.

A dark horse to keep an eye on for the Waves is freshman utility player Corwin Hemmingsen. Starting in 17 of his 23 game appearances, Hemmingsen has filled the role of DH, first base, and pitcher as he threw four innings with only four hits and no runs allowed against Western Michigan Feb. 25. Offensively, the Arizona State transfer has recorded 20 hits with eight RBIs, good for a .333 batting average.
 
THE STANDINGS
 

1. Portland                      8-1                   .889                 22-12               .647
2. Gonzaga                     10-2                 .833                 14-19               .424
3. Saint Mary's                6-3                   .667                 21-13               .618
4. San Diego                   8-4                   .667                 23-12               .657

5. Pepperdine                6-6                   .500                 12-25               .324

6. Santa Clara                 6-6                   .500                 18-16               .529
7. LMU                            2-10                 .167                 15-23               .395
8. Pacific                         1-8                   .111                 6-29                 .171
9. San Francisco             1-8                   .111                 17-20               .459