May 17, 2003

Box Score

SPOKANE, Wash. - Senior catcher Sam Hess connected for his second home run in two weeks, hitting a the crucial three-run blast during the bottom of the third inning as Gonzaga University (25-25-1, 13-16 WCC) knocked off No. 26 Pepperdine University, 8-5, at Spokane Falls Community College. The Waves dropped to 35-20, 23-6 in the WCC as the two teams will wrap-up their three games West Coast Conference series on Sunday afternoon.

Eric Rodland got the Bulldogs offense on track in the first inning as he reached on an infield hit before coming around to score on a Gordon Corder single up the middle. Hess then pushed the Bulldogs out to a 4-0 lead in the third inning as he lifted a ball out of the park to left field against Waves starter Jacob Barrack (9-2). It was the first loss for Barrack since February.

Pepperdine closed the gap to 4-1 in the top of the fourth on a Brent Haapanen single to left that scored Patrick Rooney. After Corder drove home Gonzaga's fifth run of the game in the bottom of the fourth, Pepperdine responded with two runs in the fifth. Ty Harper had sacrifice fly and Cory Brightwell delivered an RBI single to center against Bulldogs starter Eric Dworkis. Dworkis would finish out the fifth to improve to 8-5 on the season.

The Bulldogs added three insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth against Pepperdine reliever James Carroll. With the bases loaded and one out, Jeff Culpepper laced a ball down the right field line that just stayed fair allowing two runs to score on the double. David Johnson capped the Gonzaga scoring with a sacrifice fly later in the inning.

John Gonzalez worked the final four innings on the mound to pick up his fifth save of the season. He ran into a little trouble in the eighth as Haapenen and Brandon Daguio each drove home runs. Gonzalez stranded two runners on base to end the inning as he forced Chris Kelly to hit into an inning ending double play.

Daguio led the Waves with three hits while Haapanen had two hits and two RBI. Corder finished the afternoon with three hits and two RBI. Hess led the Bulldogs with his three runs driven in. Gonzaga will conclude its 2003 season on Sunday afternoon against Pepperdine with a 1 p.m. start at Spokane Falls Community College Baseball Field. The Waves will return to Malibu to host San Diego in the WCC Championships starting next Friday afternoon.