MALIBU, Calif. - The Pepperdine baseball team came back from a 6-0 deficit to pull within one, but could not complete the comeback Thursday afternoon at Eddy D. Field Stadium, falling 7-6. 
 
The Waves (9-28, 5-8) hit two home runs, but more consistent scoring by the Gaels (17-19, 3-7) would give the visiting team the series-opener.
 
BIG WAVES
 
Redshirt sophomore outfielder Joe Cardinale (Salinas, Calif.) hit .400 on the afternoon, including being responsible for the Waves' only two hits for the front half of the game.
 
Freshman outfielder Joey Damelio (San Mateo, Calif.) hit his third home run of the season in the sixth inning, going .500 at the plate. 
 
Junior catcher Max Aude (Woodland Hills, Calif.) hit a three-run home run for his first this year in the eighth to bring the Waves within one.
 
RECAP
 
In a tale of two halves, the first five innings belonged to the Gaels. With seven hits compared to Pepperdine's two, Saint Mary's pitching kept the Waves off the board while the visitors tacked on six runs. Headed to the sixth inning, the Gaels led 6-0.
 
Slowly but surely, the Waves started to climb out of the hole. Damelio got Pepperdine started with a solo home run. After the shutout had been erased, senior Justin Rubin (Bryn Mawr, Pa.) tacked one more on with a double down the left field line to score senior Julian Nunez (Encinitas, Calif.) who had reached on a single earlier in the inning. With three to go, the score favored the visitors 6-2.
 
Exchanging runs in the seventh, the Waves got the Gaels back after scoring one in the top half of the inning thanks to a double by Damelio to score freshman infielder Zach Woodson (Long Beach, Calif.) who reached earlier in the inning on a walk. After seven, the Waves still had a tall task, staring down a 7-3 deficit.
 
With no added runs by Saint Mary's in the eighth, it was Pepperdine's time to capitalize. A single by Rubin, his second hit of the day, and another walk delivered to Woodson would put two on for Aude to send a ball to the longest part of the field, homering to dead center field. The three-run home run is the junior's first of the year and the three RBIs put Pepperdine down one, trailing 7-6 heading to the ninth.
 
After no added damage in the top half of the inning, a single and a Gael error in the ninth gave the Waves hope, but both seniors would be left stranded on base as Pepperdine dropped the first of three against Saint Mary's 7-6.
 
NEXT
 
The series against the Gaels continues tomorrow with the second of the three-game series beginning at 3 p.m. Play Bingo when you arrive throughout the game for a chance to win a Sharky's gift card. The game will be streamed on ESPN+ (subscription required) and live stats will be available at www.pepperdinewaves.com.