NORTHRIDGE, Calif. - The Pepperdine baseball team (10-22, 5-4 WCC) fell short to the CSUN Matadors (18-13, 8-7 Big West) by a final score of 4-2 on Tuesday night.
"Really competitive game against a quality team," said Head Coach
Tyler LaTorre following the contest. "CSUN is a good hitting team, especially at home. To hold them to 7 hits and 4 runs was a great job by our pitching staff. It started with 3 no hit innings by
Jackson Pace. Was really happy with his effort to go out there and set the tone. Our bullpen also did a great job with inherited runners not scoring as well. Credit to CSUN for getting two big hits via the homerun."
It was a scoreless game through four innings before
Max Aude cracked a RBI single back up the middle to score
Aidan Camberg, making it 1-0 Waves. Pepperdine would extend the lead to 2-0 in the sixth as freshman
James Dell'Amico uncorked his second home run of the season over the left field wall.
"Offensively, we hit the ball hard right at guys today," continued LaTorre. "That's baseball sometimes. When it got late in the game we just didn't get the big hit with runners on base and we will get those here soon. Our hitters are getting better and better in those situations."
Up to that point, the blue and orange were getting one solid performance after another in what was a bullpen game.
Jackson Pace had dazzled during the first three innings, holding CSUN scoreless on just one hit.
Arnold Wu and
Gabe Maya tacked on another scoreless 1.2 innings but CSUN tabbed
Kam Croghan for two runs in the bottom of the sixth thanks to a two-run dinger from Matthew Pena, knotting the game at two apiece.
It turned into the game of the Matthew's, as Matthew Thomas sent a solo shot in the bottom of the seventh to give the Matadors a 3-2 advantage. Matthew Pena filed some insurance for CSUN in the eighth, sending a sacrifice fly to center that scored Andrew Becker to make it 4-2, and that's where the final score stood.
Daniel Patterson had a one-out RBI in the top of the ninth to put the tying run at the dish, but that's all the Waves could muster for a last-minute threat in the defeat.
"We are looking forward to getting back home this weekend against Pacific," said LaTorre. "We've put ourselves in a great position in the conference and our players are excited to continue to get better each day."
GAME NOTES
- Each squad tallied seven hits. All seven Pepperdine hits came from different players.
- CSUN had a 5-4 edge over the Waves in the walks department.
- Both teams stranded nine baserunners.
The Waves will return to Malibu to resume WCC action against Pacific in a three-game series starting this Friday at 3:00 pm. Pepperdine is excited to host students for Admitted Waves Day, while the first 50 current Pepperdine students will receive a free burger from Irv's Burgers. It's also a Dollar Dog Day, with the first 30 people to concessions able to purchase a hot dog for one dollar.
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.
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