Pepperdine Comes Back, Stays Out in Front With Split

Pepperdine had just lost, 5-1, to Santa Clara in the first game of a doubleheader Saturday, dropping from first place to third in the West Coast Conference, when the Broncos scored four runs in the top of the first inning of the second game.

That pretty much fit the definition of a gut-check for the Waves. But they responded in the way Coach Pat Harrison hoped they would.

Pepperdine opened the bottom of the first with five consecutive hits to tie the score, then went on to an 8-5 victory at home.

“I’m sure the guys were beginning to wonder,” Harrison said. “But they came through and this turns out to be a big win for us.”

Pepperdine (27-18, 15-5) ended the day where it started, half a game ahead of Santa Clara (30-18, 14-5) and San Diego in the conference standings. The Toreros split a doubleheader with Loyola Marymount.

The conference champion advances to a series with the Western Athletic Conference champion, with the winner qualifying for the NCAA tournament.

The Waves, who have struggled on offense for much of the season, have come alive of late, scoring 15 runs against Long Beach State on Tuesday and eight in a one-run loss to Santa Clara on Friday.

But Saturday’s second game, when the Waves had 12 hits, was the first in recent weeks to combine solid hitting and quality pitching.

After the rocky first inning, Jason LeBlanc (5-2) scattered four hits over the next five before turning the game over to the Pepperdine bullpen.

“All the long breaks have been tough on us,” said first baseman Gerardo Gonzalez, who had two doubles and drove in four runs. “Maybe this will get us back on track.”

Because of finals and bad weather, the Waves played only four games in April before Saturday.

“Our pitchers are coming out a little too strong after all the rest,” Harrison said.

Pepperdine led, 8-4, going into the ninth inning, but a throwing error by right-fielder Randy Wolf allowed a run to score and put runners on second and third with two out.

But Ross Parmenter, the Broncos’ leading hitter, hit a comebacker to reliever Eric Brubaker to end the game.

Santa Clara Coach John Oldham was ejected in the seventh inning while arguing an interference call against Parmenter.

After bumping the umpire, Oldham was initially thrown out of today’s game but the penalty was rescinded following a postgame meeting.

The Waves had several early opportunities in the opener, but managed only one run in the first after freshman Mike Crudale walked three batters.

Crudale (4-3) held Pepperdine to just one hit from the second through sixth innings of the seven-inning game and retired 10 consecutive batters at one point.