Pepperdine’s Wolf Leaves Fullerton Crying

Pepperdine left-hander Randy Wolf, the junior All-American, stifled visiting Cal State Fullerton over eight innings Wednesday, allowing five hits, striking out eight and walking one in an 8-1 victory.

Fullerton (23-19-1) scored only in the fourth and Wolf (8-2) finished strong, striking out the side in the seventh and needing only six pitches in a one-two-three eighth.

Fullerton, which has lost three of four to Pepperdine this season, scored first when Aaron Rowand singled in C.J. Ankrum in the fourth. Pepperdine (28-17) scored six runs in the fifth. Catcher Mike Kramer, batting only .165, singled to start the rally and drove in the last two runs of the inning with another single.

The victory was especially sweet for shortstop David Matranga, a sophomore who is invited to Team USA tryouts in June. He was not recruited hard by Fullerton despite starring at Orange High.

“It is big because they’ve won the World Series and are always in the top 25,” he said. “As far as we are concerned, we started 4-10 and nobody said anything about us. We’ve been in the depths, now we’re up.”