LOS ANGELES, Calif. - The Pepperdine baseball team scored 10 runs on five hits to take the first midweek game since March 12.
 
Recording a combined 11 strikeouts, the Waves (12-21, 6-3) kept things close to the chest on defense while taking advantage of ten walks by the Bruins' (12-18, 5-10) bullpen, going up 4-1 in the fourth. Pepperdine never looked back and won the game with a final score of 10-2.
 
BIG WAVES
 
Graduate outfielder Nick Upstill (Huntington Beach, Calif.) went 2-for-5 today with an RBI. 
 
Senior outfielder Connor Bradshaw (New Rochelle, N.Y.) hit a solo home run in the top of the first inning, going 1-for-3 on the night with two RBIs and two stolen bases.
 
Freshman Braden Guentz (Clovis, Calif.) through 2.0 IP threw four strikeouts and did not allow a hit.
 
RECAP
 
For the second game in a row, Bradshaw sent one sailing over the wall in the first inning. Tonight, the ball cleared right field to give the Waves an early 1-0 lead by the middle of the first inning.
 
The Bruins responded quickly in the bottom of the first inning and after two singles, popped a sac fly to left field to tie the game at 1-1.
 
Three hits could not combine for a run on either side as the game was still tied 1-1 at the end of three. Pepperdine broke it open in the top of the fourth as the game winner came in the midst of four runs.
 
Leading things off for the Waves, Bradshaw walked. Stealing second and third base, Bradshaw put junior infielder Julian Nunez (Encinitas, Calif.) at bat with a man on third and no outs. After Nunez was walked, senior infielder Charles Masino (Newbury Park, Calif.) was hit by a pitch and suddenly, bases were loaded. Senior Connor Walsh (Niceville, Fla.) stepped up and perfectly placed a ball in right field to single, scoring Bradshaw. Pitching woes continued for the Bruins as the Waves proceeded to have two more walk and one get hit by a pitch, giving Pepperdine three runs with only one hit in the inning. Waves led 4-1 going into the bottom half of the fourth.
 
With no response from UCLA in the bottom of the fourth, Pepperdine was quickly back on offense in the top of the fifth. Nunez walked for his second trip to the plate, advancing to second on a wild pitch. After a misjudged throw by the pitcher and a bobbled ball by the center fielder, Nunez would score on two Bruins' errors. 5-1 Waves.
 
Able to match in the bottom half of the inning, UCLA scored one run on one hit, cutting the Pepperdine lead to three, a 5-2 advantage.
 
Upstill kickstarted the sixth inning with a single to left field. Three straight walks would score Upstill and load the bases with no outs. Junior Justin Rubin (Bryn Mawr, Pa.) reached first on a fielder's choice, recording an RBI as junior Luke Pemberton (Boulder. Colo.) crossed home plate. Bradshaw reached first in an identical way to Rubin as UCLA got the out at second and junior catcher Andrew Savage (Woodstock, Ontario, Canada) scored. The Waves held a 8-2 lead going into the bottom of the sixth.
 
Through the next three innings, the Bruins could not find a way back into the game. Pepperdine added two insurance runs in the top of the ninth with help from a Rubin left field single. A walk, an error, and a batter being hit by a pitch put Masino at bat in position to put the ball in play. Forcing the play to be made at second, Masino would reach first and score Rubin. After another walk, Upstill scored Bradshaw with an RBI groundout.
 
Pepperdine wins convincingly with a final score of 10-2.
 
UP NEXT
 
Pepperdine will go north to face the Santa Clara Broncos (15-15, 3-6) April 12-14 as they continue West Coast Conference play.