Pepperdine University and Santa Clara battled for three straight games during the weekend at Eddy D. Field with one thing for sure in mind; a one-run ball game would separate the winner from the loser in each game. The Broncos held on for dear life Sunday as they won 5-4 to take the rubber match and the series from the Waves, two games to one.
Santa Clara (17-27, 4-11) opened the weekend series by knocking off the Waves 3-2 in 10 innings on Friday afternoon. Jason Terry’s one-out RBI single off Waves’ reliever Corey Miller in the 10th inning was the game-winning hit. Pepperdine starter Aaron Gates had a solid effort as he threw eight innings, allowing two runs on two hits.
The Waves’ second baseman Joe Sever went 2 for 4 and collected his 100th career hit in the process. Teammate Miles Silverstein hit his third home run of the season.
Pepperdine (19-24, 5-7) bounced back with an exciting win on Saturday as the Waves overcame a 4-3 deficit by scoring two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to take a 5-4 lead that they would not relinquish. Nate Johnson hit his first home run of the season to tie the game and Sever followed with a single to right field. Sam Meyer then doubled to center field to give the Waves the one-run lead and ultimately the victory.
Johnson sparked the Waves with his big hit. “He threw me a change-up, which I had been seeing all weekend and I finally got on top of one and hit it out of the park,” Johnson said. “It was good to finally hit my first home run of the year.”
Sever had another great game for Pepperdine going 3 for 4 and scoring two runs. Johnson finished 2 for 4 with two runs scored and an RBI. Trent Diedrich contributed with his third home run of the year and pitcher Eric Karch came on in relief to earn his second save of the season. Four Wave relievers combined to shut the door on the Broncos, allowing no runs and just two hits in three innings of work.
Sunday’s game was the rubber match of the series. Santa Clara came out quickly, scoring two runs in the first en route to a 5-0 lead after the top half of the fourth inning. But the Waves fought back in the bottom half of the inning and closed to within a run at 5-4 after Sever hammered a three-run home run to left center, his third long ball of the season.
Sever finished the day 2 for 4 and ended the series hitting a blistering 7 for 12 (.583). Silverstein collected his 100th career hit at the collegiate level after he singled to left in the fourth inning.
Pepperdine had the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning but failed to score the tying run.
The Waves will travel north to face San Francisco for a three-game set this Friday through Sunday. They will return home to face No. 23 Gonzaga for a weekend series beginning on Friday, May 20 at 3 p.m.