Gonzaga University
#26 Pepperdine
Pepperdine Holds On For 4-3 Win Over Baseball
5/16/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 16, 2003
SPOKANE, Wash. - - Pepperdine University (35-19, 23-5 WCC) scored four runs in the first two innings Friday afternoon and held on for a 4-3 West Coast Conference victory over host Gonzaga University (24-25-1, 12-16 WCC) at Spokane Falls Community College Baseball Field.
Kevin Estrada started the scoring for the No. 26 ranked Waves as he drew a lead-off walk to open the game. After stealing the first of two bases on the afternoon, Estrada would come around to score the games opening run as Brandon Daguio singled off the glove of Bulldogs third baseman Danny Evans. Evans had been playing in and knocked down the ball but could not make before all runners safely advanced.
The Waves added three more runs in the second inning against Bulldogs starter Ed Clelland (4-5) as Ty Harper singled and Cory Brightwell was hit by a pitch. Both runners would move up one base as a throw by Sam Hess to pick off Harper at second bounced off the runner's head into centerfield. Patrick Rooney followed that play with a bloop single to right center that scored both runners. Rooney would come around to score later in the inning as Estrada doubled down the left field line. Clelland would settle down after the inning and allow only three more hits as he pitched a complete game in the loss.
Gonzaga slowly worked back into the contest against Waves starter Greg Ramirez (9-2). The Bulldogs cracked the scoring column in the bottom of the fourth as Eric Rodland was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. He would advance to third on a passed ball by the catcher before scoring on a Gordon Corder sacrifice fly.
David Johnson brought the Bulldogs within two runs in the sixth as he connected for his eighth home run of the season, a solo shot to left. Ramirez would force the Bulldogs to strand two more runners in that inning as Sam Hess and Danny Evans were left at second and third with two outs.
In the seventh inning Corder again drove home a Bulldogs run as he doubled down the left field line to score Matt Reding. Kea Kometani would enter the game in the ninth for Pepperdine and strike out the final two batters for his ninth save of the season.
Rooney had three hits and two RBI to lead Pepperdine while Rodland and Hess each finished with two hits for the Bulldogs. The two teams will play again on Saturday and Sunday at SFCC, start time for both days is set for 1 p.m.
