NCAA Central Regional : Waves Squeeze Past Texas in 10 Innings, 2-0

Pepperdine and Texas struggled through nine scoreless innings before pitcher Doug Simons scored on a two-strike squeeze bunt in the 10th to give the Waves the only run they needed in a 2-0 win before 6,400 fans in the NCAA Central Regional baseball tournament here Saturday night.

Simons (6-1), a designated hitter when he doesn’t pitch, doubled into the left-field corner to lead off the inning. He moved to third on a passed ball before Chris Sloniger, with two strikes, put down a bunt between third base and the mound to score Simons.

A triple from Andy Stankiewitz and single by Paul Faries scored the other run.

Texas pitcher Curt Krippner had blanked the Waves for nine innings, giving up only five hits and striking out nine.

The Waves face undefeated Arizona today at 5 p.m. PDT. The game will be televised on ESPN.

The win kept the Waves’ title hopes alive after a 10-6 loss to Arizona earlier in the day. The winner of the regional will travel to Omaha for the College World Series beginning May 30.

To get there, Pepperdine will have to beat undefeated Arizona twice. A Pepperdine win Sunday would force a third and deciding game between the teams Monday at noon PDT.