MALIBU, Calif. - The Pepperdine baseball team stayed close with Northwestern State before the visitors took command with seven runs in the latter half of the game.
 
The Waves (11-35, 6-12) scored five on eight hits, but the Demons (30-18, 17-10) had an explosive four-run inning in the sixth, running away with the game as the Waves were defeated 10-5.
 
 
BIG WAVES
 
Redshirt sophomore outfielder Joe Cardinale (Salinas, Calif.) was the sole Wave to score twice this afternoon, reaching base on a walk and Demon error.
 
Graduate outfielder Nick Upstill (Huntington Beach, Calif.) was 4-for-5 today with two RBIs.
 
Freshman designated hitter Esteban Sepulveda (Lancaster, Calif.) is batting .315 on the season, with a single and triple today.
 
RECAP
 
After no runs in the first inning, both squads exchanged a run in the second inning. Down 0-1 Sepulveda threaded a triple down the right field line to score redshirt sophomore infielder Max Bernal (Clovis, Calif.) to tie the game.
 
No response from the Demons in the second gave the Waves room to take the lead. With the help of a walk and error by Northwestern State, there were two on with nobody out for Pepperdine. A hit by Upstill and sacrificial groundout by senior infielder Justin Rubin (Bryn Mawr, Pa.) put the Waves on top 3-1 at the end of three.
 
A quiet fourth inning set up a three-run fifth between the two teams. After Northwestern State tied the game at 3-3, yet another Upstill single scored Cardinale as Pepperdine retook the lead 4-3.
 
Scoring four on four hits, the Demons took a 7-4 lead by the middle of the sixth inning. Even with the Waves getting one back off a double to center by senior catcher Andrew Savage (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), Pepperdine still had work to do down 7-5.
 
Despite three hits throughout the following three innings, the Waves would not score again as the Demons tacked on three more to secure the 10-5 Saturday win over Pepperdine.
 
NEXT
 
The Waves conclude the series against Northwestern State tomorrow at 12:00 p.m. Sunday is also the senior day celebration, with festivities beginning at 11:40 a.m. The game will be streamed on ESPN+ (subscription required) and live stats for every game will be available at www.pepperdinewaves.com.