COLLEGE WORLD SERIES NOTEBOOK : Fifth-Grader Was on the Right Wave-Length

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 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.”

Evander spent Pepperdine’s postgame interview session on the knee of Wave relief pitcher Steve Montgomery. He was decked out in a Pepperdine cap and 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,” Evander 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.”

Wind-aided: Fullerton played two series games in the rain and braved more elements Saturday against Pepperdine. This time it was gusty winds that wreaked havoc on several fly balls.

What began as a routine Keven Dell’Amico fly to right went all the way to the wall, where Fullerton’s Jeremy Carr made the catch running into the fence.

Pepperdine’s Mark Wasikowski drove a ball to deep left-center in the eighth that appeared long enough for a home run, but the wind kept it in the park. Left fielder Tony Banks made the catch on the warning track despite colliding with center fielder Chris Powell.

Powell turned and went back to center to retrieve Chris Sheff’s drive in the ninth, then shifted directions and sprinted about 30 yards into right-center to make the catch.

“That wind was a pain in the butt,” Wave second baseman Steve Rodriguez said. “My contacts were all dried up, and balls were dancing in the air. But both teams had to play in it.”

Leader of the pack: Titan third baseman Phil Nevin, who batted .526 (10 for 19) with two homers, two doubles and 11 runs batted in in six series games, was named the tournament’s most outstanding player, the first time since 1973 the award went to a player whose team didn’t win the title.

The last non-champion player to win the award was Dave Winfield, whose Minnesota team finished third in 1973.

Fullerton outfielder Chris Powell (.444, 11 runs), shortstop Nate Rodriquez (.438) and pitcher James Popoff (1-1, 1.65 earned run average, one save) also made the all-tournament team.

Wild thing: Fullerton Coach Augie Garrido thought senior right-hander Dan Naulty’s experience would help him through Saturday’s game, but Naulty, who won Wednesday’s game against Miami, didn’t even make it to the second inning.

He walked his first batter on four pitches, allowed a double, two singles and two runs, and fell behind each of the six batters he faced.

“He appeared to be frustrated immediately,” Garrido said. “He was wild and struggling to keep his concentration. Maybe it was asking too much to bring him back on two days rest. Who knows?”

Suggestion box: If the NCAA continues the present CWS format--in which schools are divided into two four-team brackets and a winner-take-all championship game is played Saturday--it should arrange the schedule so the two finalists are determined by Thursday, not Friday.

Friday should be kept clear for potential make-up games. Perhaps then the NCAA wouldn’t feel compelled to make teams play a Friday elimination game in a driving rainstorm, as Miami and Fullerton did Friday night.

The present schedule calls for single games on Wednesday and Thursday and, if necessary, two on Friday. That’s risking it. A better idea would be to schedule two games on Wednesday and Thursday.

Yes, there might be lost revenue with one fewer session, but at worst, the finalists would have a day off before the championship game.

As it turned out, Fullerton had all of 14 hours off before the championship game.

Welcome home: Fans, family and friends of the Titans can attend a reception at 5:30 tonight at the Fullerton Marriott on the university campus. Admission is free.