MORAGA, Calif. - The Pepperdine baseball team is headed north for a three-game series against Saint Mary's that begins Friday night. The series marks the first WCC games for both the Waves and Gaels this season.
Friday, March 20 | 6:00 pm PT | ESPN+ | Live Stats
- Probable starting pitchers: LHP #33 Casey Euper (1-1, 2.00 ERA) vs. RHP #25 John Damozonio (2-1, 2.42 ERA)
Saturday, March 21 | 4:00 pm PT | ESPN+ | Live Stats
- Probable starting pitchers: RHP #24 Tommy Scavone (0-2, 6.23 ERA) vs. LHP #24 Talin Gardini (0-2, 3.21 ERA)
Sunday, March 22 | 1:00 pm PT | ESPN+ | Live Stats
- Probable starting pitchers: LHP #22 Collin Valentine (0-2, 3.20 ERA) vs. LHP #21 Jake Hilton (3-0, 3.68 ERA)
Pepperdine is a whopping 131-48 against the Gaels all-time. The Waves have had great success going to Moraga, dominating Saint Mary's with a 63-20 record when visiting the Gaels. Saint Mary's has gotten the best of the Waves recently, however, winning the last six and seven of the last eight meetings.
FRIDAY'S GAME
Is the first of a three-game weekend series and the first WCC game of the year for both teams.
RODRIGUEZ REJOINS WAVES
Pepperdine Athletics Hall of Famer
Steve Rodriguez was named the Special Assistant to the Head Coach on Tuesday, March 10 as announced by Head Coach
Tyler LaTorre. Rodriguez was a member of the Pepperdine baseball 1992 National Championship team and later served as head coach of the Waves from 2004-15. Rodriguez's first stint back in Malibu began in 2000, where he served as an assistant coach for four seasons before being named head coach prior to the 2004 campaign.
REAPING REWARD
James Dell'Amico earned Pepperdine's first weekly conference award on Monday, being named Freshman of the Week by the West Coast Conference. The Los Angeles native was unstoppable in three games against UMass Lowell over the weekend, going 7-for-13 while scoring five runs and driving in three more. The Loyola High School graduate put on a show in game two of the doubleheader against UML on Saturday, racking up four hits in five at-bats, hammering his first collegiate home run in the seventh inning. His OPS of 1.340 in the series helped skyrocket his season OPS by over 200 points.
USING THE FORCE
Dell'Amico has been a consistent force in Head Coach
Tyler LaTorre's lineup card all season, leading the Waves with a blistering .339 average, which ranks among the top-12 in the WCC (minimum 2.5 plate per game and at least 75% of games played). James has tallied six multi-hit games in just 17 contests this season (15 starts). He is also in the team lead in RBI with 12, despite having 17 fewer at-bats than Patterson.
SAFE AND SOUND
Julian Nunez has been an on-base machine. Following the UCLA game on Tuesday, Nunez has now reached base in 10 consecutive contests. His ability to get on the basepaths has allowed him to tie with
Kai Laxa Daniel Patterson for the team lead in multiple run games with three. He ranks second on the team in runs scored with 13 and is third in multi-hit games with five.
HITMEN
Patterson and
James Dell'Amico have fortified the Waves' offense this season. Patterson leads the squad with eight multi-hit games, while Dell'Amico has racked up six. Patterson also recorded the second-longest hitting streak (six games) and currently carries a three-game hitting streak.
LEADOFF LAXA
Kai Laxa has been effective as the leadoff hitter for Pepperdine. After being moved from the nine-spot to the top spot in Head Coach
Tyler LaTorre's lineup, the Waves have won three of their nine contests, with three of the nine losses coming by only one run. Laxa has shown his ability to fly around the diamond, scoring 10 runs (T-3rd on the team) and steal a base on one attempt.
WECHSBERG FOR THE WIN
Graduate pitcher
Lucien Wechsberg has been one of the most reliable Waves' arms this season. In 11.1 innings, Lucien has recorded a 1.59 ERA along with a 1.15 WHIP. He has given up just eight hits while striking out 13 and walking five. Opponents are hitting .205 off of Wechsberg, who has recorded one of Pepperdine's two saves and tallied two of the Waves' four wins.
DYNAMITE DELLY
James Dell'Amico has been phenomenal with runners on base this season, hitting a whopping .308 over a team-leading 39 at-bats with at least one runner on base. He is also tied with
Daniel Patterson for the team lead in two-out RBI (5).
NASH CAN MASH
Pepperdine will face two southpaws this weekend, and
Nash Horton has been excellent against left-handers this season, hitting .400 (4-for-10).
EUPER EXCITING
Casey Euper has also been tremendous on the hill for the Waves, boasting a 2.00 ERA, only trailing
Lucien Wechsberg, to pair with a 1.06 WHIP across 18.0 innings of work (five appearances, two starts). He gave up just one earned run in his first collegiate start on Sunday 3/1 versus Yale.
ABOUT PEPPERDINE BASEBALL
Pepperdine baseball has one of the richest traditions and success stories among mid-major baseball programs in the country. The Waves won the NCAA National Championship in 1992 and have made 28 NCAA Tournament appearances in total. Located in scenic Malibu, California, Eddy D. Field Stadium boasts one of the most remarkable views in college baseball and has seen 35 former Waves reach the MLB while seeing 41 All-American selections.
TICKETS
For more information and to purchase tickets to upcoming home events, visit
here.
FOLLOW
To stay up-to-date on the latest Pepperdine baseball news, follow the Waves on social media
@PepperdineBASE.
