AREA COLLEGE NOTEBOOK

Look beyond starting pitchers Jay Adams, Dan Haren and Noah Lowry, and it’s evident why No. 19-ranked Pepperdine has dropped five consecutive weekday games.

The Waves lost to UCLA, 11-3, on Tuesday. Their previous four weekday defeats were to Northridge, USC and Long Beach State twice.

Adams, Haren and Lowry, weekend starters, are a combined 17-5 with a 2.72 ERA. .

But the bullpen is a different story.

Greg Ramirez, a sophomore from Rio Mesa whose 3.50 ERA was the best among Pepperdine relievers, allowed four runs in an inning against UCLA.

“The two areas of concern are the bullpen and the hitting,” Pepperdine Coach Frank Sanchez said.

The Waves have allowed 22 runs and scored 12 in their last two weekday losses, to Northridge and UCLA.

“We’ve got to find a way to stop losing these games,” outfielder Woody Cliffords said.

Cliffords, a junior from El Camino Real, is batting .333 with a team-high 16 doubles, but he has batted first, third and fifth.

“The way we play on weekdays in a concern,” said Haren, who is batting .325 as the team’s designated hitter. “We’ve got to turn it around fast.”

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Sophomore left-hander Mike Kunes of UCLA recorded consecutive victories last week.

Kunes pitched 3 1/3 innings of one-hit relief against Northridge and allowed one run in three relief innings at Washington State.

The former two-time City Section player of the year at Chatsworth leads the Bruins with a 2.11 ERA and is 3-0 in 13 games.