April 24, 2004
Box Score
MALIBU, Calif. - The Gonzaga University Bulldogs benefited from three home runs and a solid starting performance by Ed Clelland on Saturday afternoon as the Bulldogs (16-22, 9-8 WCC) evened their three-game West Coast Conference series with Pepperdine University (19-21, 13-4 WCC), knocking off the Waves 11-4 at Eddy D. Field Stadium in Malibu. The two teams will meet for the rubber game of the series on Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m.
The game see-sawed back and forth in the early innings with Gonzaga taking a 2-0 lead in the first on a sacrifice fly by Jeff Culpepper and RBI single by Bobby Carlson. Pepperdine responded with one run in the bottom of the first as David Uribes crossed home on a wild pitch.
The Waves claimed their only lead of the game in the second scoring two runs on a Cory Brightwell solo home run and Steve Kleen RBI single. After that run Clelland (3-5) would settle down and pitch into the seventh were he gave way to the Bulldogs bullpen with a bases loaded situation and one out. Nate Williams was able to force back-to-back shallow fly balls to escape the inning and preserve the win for Clelland.
On the offensive end the Bulldogs provided Clelland with all the insurance he would need as they scored two more in the fourth on RBI singles by Marshall Bratton and Chris Sinner. Sinner would have to exit the game in the inning while running to third base ending his day with a 3-for-3 performance. His replacement in the line-up Jason Wederspahn did not disappoint as he connected for a solo home run in the eighth as he finished 2-for-3.
Gonzaga chased Pepperdine starter Kea Kometani (4-6) in the sixth inning as Bratton cleared the bases with a three-run home run to give Gonzaga a 7-3 lead. Matt Reding added a solo home run in the seventh and Carlson drove home a run with a double in the eighth to lead the Bulldogs to victory.
Bratton and Carlson joined Sinner with three hits each as Gonzaga banged out 18 hits against three Waves pitchers. Uribes had the big stick for Pepperdine going 4-for-5 with three runs scored.
