Pepperdine Falls Into Tie for Lead

Stefan Gartrell hit a game-breaking three-run home run in the fifth inning and finished with four runs batted in Saturday as San Francisco hammered host Pepperdine, 8-3, to set up a decisive game for the West Coast Conference’s West Division title.

The winner of today’s regular-season finale for both teams will advance to the best-of-three WCC championship series that will determine the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.

The Waves, 35-20 overall and 20-9 in the WCC, may also need a victory to enhance their chances for an at-large berth.

Pepperdine grabbed a one-game lead over USF (38-17, 20-9) on Friday after Paul Coleman threw a six-hit shutout in a 5-0 victory. Kea Kometani did not fare nearly as well as the Dons knocked out the senior right-hander in the third inning in amassing 14 hits.

-- Eric Stephens

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Joe Frazee’s run-scoring single and Eric Farris’ run-producing ground ball in the eighth inning capped a four-run rally by Loyola Marymount (29-25, 17-12) as it defeated Gonzaga, 10-9, to sweep a doubleheader and win the WCC’s Coast Division title.

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Katie Gollhardt drove in the winning run with an infield single and third-seeded Cal State Fullerton scored twice in the bottom of the 11th inning to upset top-seeded UCLA, 2-1, to advance to today’s NCAA softball regional final at UCLA’s Easton Stadium.

UCLA defeated Nevada Las Vegas, 4-1, later Saturday and will play Fullerton again today.

In the early game, UCLA shortstop Jodie Legaspi broke a scoreless tie in the top of the 11th with a solo home run. But the Titans (30-19) answered against a tiring Angelica Selden, who struck out 10 to set a UCLA season record with 368.

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The UCLA men’s tennis team earned its 17th consecutive NCAA quarterfinal berth with a 4-1 victory over Tennessee at College Station, Texas.

The Bruins face second-seeded Virginia (27-2) today.

Pepperdine also advanced to the quarterfinals with a 4-3 victory over Duke. The Waves meet top-seeded Baylor (31-0) today.

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Billy Sulentor pitched a five-hit shutout in Chapman’s 8-0 victory over Texas Lutheran and the Panthers (36-9) defeated the Bulldogs (37-10) twice to win the West Regional title and advance to the NCAA Division III championships next week at Grand Chute, Wis.