MALIBU, Calif.- The Pepperdine baseball team came back from a 0-2 deficit to score three unanswered runs to win the conference home opener Friday afternoon.
 
The Waves (5-15, 1-0) battled back from offensive struggles and despite finding the first hit against the Zags (6-13, 0-1) in the sixth inning, Pepperdine was able to pull out a 3-2 win at Eddy D. Field to begin West Coast Conference play 1-0.
 
BIG WAVES
 
Senior infielder Justin Rubin (Bryn Mawr, Pa.) notched the two RBIs in the sixth to tie the game with a single up the middle.
 
Senior infielder Cam Conley (Lincoln University, Pa.) opened the eighth inning with a double, eventually coming around to score the winning run.
 
Redshirt sophomore RHP Adam Troy (Houston, Texas) recorded his third save of the season to secure the win for the Waves.
 
RECAP
 
Despite making contact with the ball, Pepperdine could not produce a hit through the first five innings of the game. For Gonzaga, three hits would score two as the visitor's held the 2-0 lead in the middle of the sixth inning.
 
The Waves would finally break the no-hitter Gonzaga had going as Upstill lined a double down the right field line to put two in scoring position after redshirt sophomore outfielder Joe Cardinale (Salinas, Calif.) reached first on a walk. One swing of the bat on the first pitch delivered to Rubin tied the game as a single up the middle scored Upstill and Cardinale. Heading to the seventh,  things were tied 2-2.
 
No movement on the scoreboard for either squad in the seventh kept the score stagnant at 2-2 heading to the eighth. Sophomore LHP Collin Valentine (Dallas, Texas) sent the Zags down in order in the top half of the inning to give his team the opportunity to take the lead in the bottom half of the inning. Conley started things off by dropping a double deep in center field. A bunt by Cardinale would advance Conley and smart base running by the senior resulted in him scoring on a Gonzaga error. The Waves led 3-2 as the Bulldogs had just one inning to respond.
Coming in for his third save of the year, Troy did not allow a hit, striking one out and producing two pop ups to secure the 3-2 series and conference opener for the Waves.
 
NEXT
 
Pepperdine continues the series against Gonzaga with game two tomorrow at 2 p.m. Bring your dog! It is Bark at the Park tomorrow as well.The game will be streamed on ESPN+ (subscription required), live stats can be found at  www.pepperdinewaves.com and tickets can be purchased at www.tickets.pepperdinewaves.com