MALIBU, Calif. - The Pepperdine baseball team scored in four separate innings to secure the 6-3 win Sunday over San Francisco and win the series 2-1.
The Waves (11-21, 6-3) spread the love with eight players recording a hit. Taking the series over San Francisco (16-16, 1-5), Pepperdine is off to the best start in West Coast Conference play since 2014.
BIG WAVES
Graduate infielder
Brady Renck (Longmont, Colo.) recorded an RBI on a triple to the center field warning track, his third of the year and the Waves' fifth.
Senior outfielder
Connor Bradshaw (New Rochelle, N.Y.) sent a home run over the center field wall to squash the Dons' only lead of the day.
Senior infielder
Charles Masino (Newbury Park, Calif.) knocked in the game winning run in the bottom of the fifth.
RECAP
Offense was loose for both teams as dugouts came out swinging. In the top of the first, San Francisco started with two singles. Stealing home on a throw down to second, the Dons had a 1-0 advantage in the middle of the inning.
Tying the game immediately, Bradshaw rocketed a ball to center field for a solo home run, his third of the season. By the end of the first, things would be tied at 1-1.
After graduate RHP
Matthew Boyer (Edwardsville, Ill.) retired three in a row in the top of the second, the Waves' offense would take over. Masino started with a leadoff double to center field, bringing senior
Connor Walsh (Niceville, Fla.) to the plate. With a fielding error, Walsh reached first as Masino advanced to third. Runners on the corners, no outs. Stealing second, Walsh was in scoring position. Graduate outfielder
Nick Upstill (Huntington Beach, Calif.) scored Masino on a groundout to shortstop, giving the Waves the lead. Only one out on the board, Junior outfielder
Luke Pemberton (Boulder, Colo.) laid down a sac bunt, scoring Walsh. The second inning ended with a score of 3-1 in favor of Pepperdine.
Despite five hits between the teams in the third and fourth inning, no one crossed home plate as the score remained 3-1. The top of the fifth would be a different story. Two singles to opposite fields by the Dons resulted in two runs, tying the game back up at 3-3.
The Waves were quick to respond in the bottom of the fifth inning. Junior infielder
Justin Rubin (Bryn Mawr, Pa.) ended up in scoring position with no outs after reaching first on a walk and quickly stealing second. On a sac bunt, junior infielder
Julian Nunez (Encinitas, Calif.) advanced Rubin to third and Bradshaw to second, who reached base on a walk the play prior. Grounding out to the shortstop, Masino was able to bring Rubin home and give Pepperdine a 4-3 lead by the end of the inning.
Adding two insurance runs, the Waves kept the offense rolling in the bottom of the sixth inning. With Upstill on first from a walk, Renck sent a ball deep into center field, recording a triple to extend the lead. The next play, Rubin dropped a ball into right field, scoring Renck to make it a 6-3 Pepperdine lead.
The Dons would not be able to answer the remainder of the game as the Waves won the third game of the series 6-3, taking the series 2-1.
UP NEXT
Pepperdine will go down the road to Los Angeles, Calif Tuesday, April 9 to take on UCLA at 6 p.m.
THE STANDINGS
- Portland 6-0 1.000 20-9 .690
- San Diego 7-2 .778 20-10 .667
- Gonzaga 7-2 .778 10-18 .357
- Pepperdine 6-3 .667 11-21 .343
- Saint Mary's 4-2 .667 18-11 .621
- Santa Clara 3-6 .333 15-14 .517
- San Francisco 1-5 .167 16-16 .500
- LMU 1-8 .111 12-20 .375
- Pacific 1-8 .111 5-26 .161