MORAGA, Calif. - The Pepperdine baseball team took an early lead but could not keep it in the first game of the weekend series against Saint Mary's College.
 
The Waves (12-30, 6-10) came out swinging, but a surge of offense from the Gaels (28-16, 11-5), including three home runs, would be enough to win 9-2.
 
BIG WAVES
 
Graduate infielder Brady Renck (Longmont, Colo.) had a triple in the first, setting Pepperdine up to take the 1-0 lead to start the game.
 
Junior infielder Julian Nunez (Encinitas, Calif.) hit a leadoff double in the seventh, leading to the second and final run for the Waves.
 
RECAP
 
Pepperdine took an early lead thanks to Renck in the top of the first. Threading a ball down the right field foul line, Renck found himself on third base with a triple and only one out. Senior Connor Walsh (Niceville, Fla.) hit a sac fly out to right field, giving the Waves a 1-0 lead by the middle of the first inning.
 
Saint Mary's was quick to counter in the bottom half of the inning. Two solo home runs would put the Gaels in the lead 2-1 by the end of the first.
 
With five hits in the bottom of the second, Saint Marys scored four to take a 6-1 lead by the end of the second inning.
 
A third homer came in the bottom of the sixth for the Gaels, extending the margin to seven, leading 8-1. 
 
The Waves began to chip away at the deficit in the seventh inning. Nunez ignited the offense with a double. Junior catcher Andrew Savage (Woodstock, Ontario, Canada) brought him home with a single into left field. Unfortunately, the rally would end with one run and Pepperdine trailed 8-2 by the middle of the seventh.
 
The Gaels tacked one more on in the bottom of the eighth with no response from the Waves.

Pepperdine dropped game one of the series 9-2.
 
UP NEXT
 
The series against the Gaels will continue tomorrow at 3 p.m. with first pitch being delayed two hours due to expected storms in the area.