March 30, 2001

Box Score

MALIBU, Calif. - No. 16 Pepperdine (19-10, 8-2 WCC) scored six runs in the fourth inning and cruised to a 15-4 victory over Gonzaga (11-14, 4-6 WCC) in the series opener on Friday afternoon at Eddy D. Field Stadium in Malibu.

The Waves tacked on one run in the opening inning on an RBI double by Jared Pitney and added two runs in the second against Gonzaga starter Scott Stencil (2-2). Pepperdine then closed the door in the third inning as they unleashed for six runs on RBI's by Pitney and Danny Garcia. The Waves continued the onslaught against the GU bullpen with three additional runs in the fourth inning as Pepperdine climbed to a 12-0 lead.

Gonzaga mounted a small rally in the fifth inning as the Zags took advantage of a Pepperdine error to score four unearned runs. John Gebbers collected one of his team-high two hits with a double to lead off the fifth. Jared Hertz and Brian Munhall would each add RBI hits in the inning to account for one of their two hits as the Zags cut the margin to 12-4. Pepperdine starter Daniel Haren (5-2) was able to work past the four-run fifth and pitch into the seventh inning for the victory.

Pepperdine added three late runs in the seventh and eighth innings to increase the margin to 15-4. Woody Cliffords, Danny Garcia, Pitney and Duke Sardinha all finished with three hits, Sardinha's all being doubles. Hertz, Munhall and Gebbers led Gonzaga with two hits each. The teams will resume the three game series on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m.