No. 9-Rated Pepperdine Beats CLC

Before this week’s Easter break, Cal Lutheran College baseball Coach Al Schoenberger hoped his team would make a decent showing against a couple rugged opponents.

Thursday, his team faced Colorado College. Friday came the much-anticipated showdown with No. 9-rated Division I foe, Pepperdine University.

“If we can get out of the Easter break alive, we’ll be doing a good job,” the coach said. “Both teams are tough and Pepperdine is a powerhouse. We’ll just go fighting.”

Schoenberger’s team fought gallantly. His team beat Colorado College, 3-1, and came within an out of extra innings against the Waves on Friday in Malibu before losing in the bottom of the ninth, 5-4.

Cal Lutheran rallied to tie Pepperdine in the eighth on Todd Dewey’s two-run homer. The shot put the Kingsmen in position for a possible upset with talented reliever Dave Muhlthaler on hand. Muhlthaler had entered the game with an 0.99 ERA with 27 strikeouts in 19 innings.

But this time, Muhlthaler failed.

Pepperdine won it in the bottom of the ninth after two were out when Paul Faries reached base on an error, stole second and scored on Nezi Balelo’s game-winning single to right.

Cal Lutheran (17-9) fell behind, 3-0, in the first inning when Pepperdine’s Brad Bierly hit a three-run homer. Pepperdine increased its margin to 4-0 with a lone run in the fourth before Cal Lutheran rallied with two runs in the sixth and Dewey’s homer in the eighth.

In the sixth, after two out, Fred Perez singled in a run then scored on Bob Ginther’s double. Cal Lutheran will return to NAIA District III action on Tuesday when it plays host to Westmont College.