April 23, 2004

Box Score

MALIBU, Calif. - Pepperdine University built an early 6-0 lead on Friday afternoon at Eddy D. Field in Malibu, but then the Waves (19-20, 13-3 WCC) had to hang on in the ninth inning as Gonzaga University fell short in its comeback bid losing, 6-4, in the opener of a three-game West Coast Conference series. Gonzaga had been down to their last out before scoring four runs with two outs as the Bulldogs (15-22, 8-8 WCC) had their four-game win streak snapped.

Pepperdine starter Jacob Barrack (7-2) worked 8.2 innings of solid baseball allowing only three hits through eight innings of work. Down to their last out in the ninth David Johnson singled home Chris Sinner to break up the shutout bid. Bobby Carlson then followed with a three-run home run that closed Pepperdine's advantage to 6-4 and forced Barrack from the game. Steve Kleen would strike out the next batter to end the threat and pick up his sixth save of the year. Barrack finished with 10 strike outs allowing seven hits and four runs.

The Waves built a 6-0 advantage scoring in the three times in the first seven innings against Bulldogs starter Eric Dworkis (6-3). David Uribes started the offense with the first of his two home runs in the first inning. Uribes later added a two-run shot in the seventh that put Pepperdine up 5-0.

Brent Lewis drove home two runs in the sixth with a two-run single up the middle and added an RBI double in the seventh that forced Dworkis from the game. Chris Albrecht struck out one batter to end the Pepperdine seventh and Bobby McEwen pitched a perfect eighth to give the Bulldogs a solid bullpen performance.

Marshall Bratton collected three of the Bulldogs seven hits on the day while Johnson went 2-for-4. Uribes, Lewis, Nick Kliebert and Steve Kleen all had two hits to lead the Waves as Pepperdine only punched out 10 hits to score the six runs. These two teams will continue their WCC series on Saturday and Sunday with both games slated for a 1 p.m. starts.