COLLEGE BASEBALL ROUNDUP : CLU Bumps Off Pepperdine for Second Consecutive Year

Mike Rooney relieved struggling starter Tim Wimbish in the second inning and allowed three runs over the next 5 2/3 innings as Cal Lutheran rallied to defeat Pepperdine, 11-8, in a nonconference game in Malibu.

It marked the second time in as many seasons that Cal Lutheran (19-10) had defeated Pepperdine (26-15). Rooney (3-3) allowed two hits, walked three and struck out two.

Cal Lutheran scored four times in the third to take a 5-4 lead, added two in the sixth and four in the seventh. Chris Matkin relieved Rooney with one on and one out in the eighth. Pepperdine cut the lead to 11-8 in the inning, but Matkin pitched a scoreless ninth.

Peter Washington was two for three with a home run and three runs batted in for Cal Lutheran. Manny Alvarez and Leonard Matsumoto each added three hits.

In other games:

The Master’s 8, Westmont 7--The Mustangs scored three runs in the sixth inning and two in the seventh to win the NAIA District 3 game at Reese Field.

Trailing, 7-6, after 6 1/2 innings, Master’s (19-15, 9-7 in District 3) scored in the seventh on consecutive singles by Sheldon Sparks, Russ Henzie, Craig Johnson and Andy Martin.

Sparks, who was three for five, extended his hitting streak to a school-record 19 games by singling in the third.

Rick Simpson (3-5), who relieved John March, gave up a two-run home run to the first batter he faced in the fifth inning, Jeff Kliewer. But he settled down after that to pick up the win.

Simpson gave up six hits and two earned runs in five innings, while striking out three and walking no one.

He retired the last nine batters he faced after giving up a leadoff single in the seventh.

Master’s narrowed a 7-3 deficit to one run in the sixth.

Martin slugged a one-out solo home run to start the rally and Jeff Preston was hit by a pitch.

Mark MacArthur doubled Preston to third, and Jeff Cole doubled in MacArthur and Preston.

Cole, who was three for four with a home run (his fourth) and two doubles, drove in four runs and scored twice.

Rich Ebarb (2-2) took the loss for Westmont.

Valley 9, East L.A. 8--Valley’s Mark Cavarretta went from goat to hero in a nonconference game.

First baseman Cavarretta had a two-run throwing error in the fourth as East L.A. built a 7-3 lead at Valley, but his two-out single in the ninth scored the winning run.

Dan Carroll (3-2) pitched two innings of scoreless relief to earn the victory.

Cavarretta had a double and two singles, and third baseman John Stephens had a triple and two singles to lead Valley (13-17-2). East L.A. is 14-12.

Valley catcher Ed Aguilar tied the game at 8-8 with a two-run double in the eighth.