May 19, 2001

Box Score

MALIBU, Calif. - No. 14 Pepperdine (40-16) scored three runs in the first inning and that would be all the offense Noah Lowry (14-1) would need as the Waves evened the West Coast Conference Championship series with a 10-0 victory over Gonzaga (28-26). Lowry, the NCAA wins leader, pitched eight shutout innings while striking out ten Bulldog batters.

Pepperdine, which was playing as the visiting team as by WCC Championship rules, scored three runs in the first as Danny Garcia singled home Woody Cliffords after Cliffords reached base on an error to lead off the game. Daniel Haren then connected for a two-run single to score Tony Garcia and Danny Garcia.

The Waves would tack on five more runs in the second inning chasing Gonzaga starter Sean Lichter (6-3) from the game. Jared Pitney had the big hit of the inning with a two-run double and Rock Mills added an RBI double. A solo home run in the third by Cliffords and a RBI double in the sixth by Pitney rounded out the Waves scoring for the game.

Haren and Danny Garcia each finished the game 3-for-5 to lead Pepperdine while seven players recorded singles for Gonzaga. Jared Hertz extended his hitting streak to 13 games with his single in the fourth while senior Scott Stencil pitched 5.2 innings of solid relief. On the downside of today's game was an injury to Kevin Richardson suffered in the second inning as Richardson was blocking the plate on a throw from the outfield.

The two teams will play for the WCC Championship and automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament starting at 1 p.m. on Sunday at Eddy D. Field Stadium in Malibu. David Hixson (5-7) will go to the mound for Gonzaga while Greg Ramirez (4-3) will get the start for the Waves.