MALIBU, Calif. — Gonzaga baseball ran into a strong pitching performance on the mound from Pepperdine in a 4-2 loss on Friday afternoon in Malibu, Calif.

The Zags (8-10, 2-2) managed just six hits, its first game with less than seven in the last 11 times on the field, and were able to score just two single runs in the first and sixth innings. GU held Pepperdine (11-7, 3-1) to just four hits in the game, but they came in timely spots on the way to just enough offense with four runs.

GU's Mason Wells was solid on the mound all day for the Zags, pitching his first career complete game in the loss. He threw 8.0 innings, allowing just four earned runs on four hits with four walks and one strikeout.

"We didn't do enough to win today against a good team," head coach Mark Machtolf said. "We gave them too many free bases, and they capitalized on it. We swung the bats better offensively than the box score shows, but just couldn't get the big knock today."

On offense, Troy Johnston and Ernie Yake each had two hits, including Yake's leadoff triple which helped give GU a 1-0 lead on a sacrifice fly by Guthrie Morrison. The leadoff extra-base hit by Yake was his fourth in the last five games.

The Waves got two in the third to take the lead, and then scored two more in the fourth before Gonzaga was able to respond.

Johnston knocked home Morrison in the sixth to bring the Zags to within two at 4-2, but GU managed just two hits in the final three innings and couldn't overcome the deficit.

Gonzaga will be back on the field at Pepperdine on Saturday, March 23 at 1 p.m. in Malibu, Calif.. Links to live coverage will be available at GoZags.com.