LAS VEGAS, Nev. – For the first time since 2018, the Pepperdine baseball team is headed to the West Coast Conference tournament. As the #6 seed, the Waves will face the #3 seeded Saint Mary's Gaels.

If the Waves survive Wednesday, the tournament will be a double-elimination format with games guaranteed through Friday.
 
SCHEDULE:
GAME #1 — Pepperdine (15-37, 9-15) vs Saint Mary's (33-20, 16-8)  Wednesday, May 22 | 3:00 p.m. | Las Vegas Ballpark | Las Vegas, Nev.
 
COVERAGE: The game will be streamed on ESPN+ (subscription required). Links to the broadcasts as well as live stats will be available at pepperdinewaves.com.
 
OPPONENTS: Pepperdine is 39-21 overall against Saint Mary's. Earlier this season, the Gaels swept the Waves in Moraga, Calif. with two close games in a Sunday doubleheader. Pepperdine scored first in each game. Senior outfielder Connor Walsh and graduate infielder Brady Renck recorded hits in all three contests. The Waves are coming off a three game win streak while the Gaels are currently in a four game stretch of losses. 
LAST GAMES: The Waves went to Spokane, Wash. and swept the Bulldogs, the first time Gonzaga has been swept by a conference opponent all season.
In the final game of the series, Pepperdine limited the runners stranded and took advantage of every at bat to take a 7-2 edge by the middle of the fifth inning and the Bulldogs fell short of a rally, losing 6-7.
 
Senior Connor Walsh (Niceville, Fla.) was outstanding on the weekend, recording three home runs, seven hits, and 12 RBIs.

Seniors Luke Pemberton and Charles Masino also kept a hot streak going on offense, performing at the same high level on defense.
 
With the sweep, Pepperdine jumped Loyola Marymount in the conference standings to make the WCC tournament.
 
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 the midweek playoff game 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 five of his appearances, Rubin is amongst the best on the team with a .342 batting average.
 
A four-year player for Pepperdine, Bradshaw is having his best year of his career. Hitting a .302 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 24 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 27 hits with 11 RBIs, good for a .293 batting average.