SAN DIEGO, CA – The Pepperdine baseball team cruised to an 8-3 victory over San Diego in the first game of a three-game West Coast Conference series Friday night at Fowler Park.
The Waves (7-16, 2-5) jumped out to a 3-0 lead over the Toreros (9-14-1, 3-4) in the first inning, but San Diego tied it in the bottom of the second. Pepperdine then led off again in the top of the sixth and held San Diego scoreless for the rest of the game. The Waves scored 11 hits for their eight runs and allowed just four hits to the opposition.
BIG WAVES
- Junior outfielder Charles Massino (Newbury Park, Calif./Oaks Christian HS) was 3-for-5 on the night, including a double. He also had one RBI and scored a run. Massino is now on a 10-game hitting streak as well.
- Junior infielder John Peck (Moorpark, Calif./Moorpark HS) was 2-for-4, including an RBI and crossed the plate once.
- Senior infielder Ryan Johnson (Tempe, AZ/Seton Catholic HS) hit his 10th home run of the season, a two-run shot. Johnson now has 28 career home runs and is currently tied for seventh all-time with a head coach Rick Hirtensteiner (1986-89) and Dan Melendez (1990-92).
- Senior Quint Landis (Westlake Village, CA/Oaks Christian HS) hit a double and had one walk. Landis extended his hitting streak to seven games and reached base in nine straight games.
- Junior Lincoln Orellana (Apple Valley, Calif./Sheldon HS/Hawai’i/American River College) also hit a double and drove in a run. Orellana now has a nine-game on-base streak.
- Senior Grant Schoen (Clackamas, Ore./Clackamas HS) made two tries and scored two goals. Schön has now reached base in 11 straight games.
- Senior LHP Shane Telfer (San Diego, CA/Cathedral Catholic HS) threw 6.0 innings, allowing just three hits and three runs. He struck out four Toreros and earned his fourth win of the season.
- Graduate student RHP Jack Baird (Parker, Colo./Legend HS) threw 3.0 innings and allowed just one hit. Baird collected his second save of the season.
GAME OVERVIEW
Grant Schoen led off the top of the first inning with a walk. Schön was then able to advance to second on a passed ball. At 2-1, Ryan Johnson sent a two-run shot over the left field wall to give Pepperdine a 2-0 lead. John Peck followed by an infield single and was able to take second on a San Diego error. With two outs, Charles Massino hit a single through the right side that brought Peck home to make it 3-0.
In the bottom of the second, San Diego cut the deficit to one, 3-2, on a triple to left-center following a double. A sac fly for the Toreros scored the third run to tie the game at 3-all. Both teams were scoreless through three innings, and in the top of the sixth inning, the Waves had two outs. In the top of the sixth, Pepperdine had back-to-back singles and then Jack Basser (Pleasanton, Calif./Foothill HS) also sent a single up the middle to the right fielder to score a run and give the Waves the lead back, 4-3. Greg Mehlhaf (Gresham, Ore./Clackamas HS) then hit a single through the right side to make it 5-3. Pepperdine added another run on a San Diego wild pitch in the top of the seventh inning.
In the top of the final frame, Schoen and Johnson earned back-to-back walks. The Waves then took advantage of a Toreros wild pitch to put runners on second and third. Peck hit a sac fly to deep center field to score a run and advance Johnson to third. Lincoln Orellana singled through the right side to bring in the eighth run and make it 8-3. In the bottom of the ninth, San Diego was able to pick up a runner. The Waves then got the lead runner on a ground ball to third. With one out and a runner on, Pepperdine was able to turn a double play and hold on for the win.
NEXT
The Waves and Toreros will square off in game two of the series on Saturday, April 1st. First pitch is scheduled for 5:00 p.m., and the game will be broadcast live on the WCC Network.