NCAA Central Regional : Pepperdine Wins Opener, 11-0
Fifth-seeded Pepperdine scored eight runs in the first four innings to rout second-seeded Pan American, 11-0, Thursday in the first round of the NCAA Central Regional baseball tournament.
The Waves will play Southern Illinois, a 21-7 loser to Texas, in a second-round game today at 2:30 p.m. PDT.
Tim Lewis (10-3) gave up five hits in pitching his seventh complete game and second shutout of the season.
For the light-hitting Waves (36-19-2), it was their biggest run output since scoring 15 runs against the University of San Diego April 12.
“All year we’ve struggled with the bat,” Lewis said. “A game like this will really help our confidence. We think we can win it all.”
Pepperdine scored single runs in the first three innings off Bronco starter Tim Stratinsky (8-5). Stratinsky left the game when the Waves scored four more runs in the fourth. They added a fifth run off reliever Bobby Middleton before Rick Hirtensteiner was thrown out at the plate to end the inning.
All five runs in the inning came with two out.
Going into the fifth with an 8-0 lead, Lewis stuck to fastballs and changeups the rest of the way.
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