Pepperdine’s Youngest Letterman Predicted a Title Before Season

OMAHA — Not everyone here agreed with Pepperdine’s No. 7 seeding in the College World Series.

Freddy Evander, a fifth-grader at Seymour School in nearby Ralston, predicted Pepperdine’s victory by way of a handwritten letter to Wave Coach Andy Lopez.

In January.

“He sent us a picture of himself standing in front of Rosenblatt Stadium and a letter saying, ‘Looking forward to seeing you here when you win the national championship,’ ” Lopez said.

“I’m thinking of taking him home with us.”

Freddy spent Pepperdine’s postgame interview session on the knee of Wave relief pitcher Steve Montgomery. He was decked out in a Pepperdine cap, Pepperdine T-shirt and a round blue-and-orange “Go Waves” sticker.

So how does this happen--11-year-old Nebraska boy falls in love with underappreciated baseball team from Malibu?

“Last year when they played Creighton in the (West) regional, I thought they were pretty good,” Freddy said. “I was looking at Baseball America at the beginning of this year and it said they were one of the Top 25 teams and they had all the same players coming back.

“So I told them in a letter that I hoped to see them at the World Series. Now that they’ve won it, it’s awesome. They’re nice guys and I hope they’re back here next year.”

Added Lopez: “I’ve probably committed a rules violation, but I’ve already signed him to a letter of intent.”