Baseball Allows Six Unearned Runs in Loss to Pepperdine

Baseball Allows Six Unearned Runs in Loss to Pepperdine

May 3, 2003

Box Score

MALIBU, Calif. - The Santa Clara University baseball team dropped its second consecutive game in its three-game series to Pepperdine, this time losing by a 6-1 score Saturday afternoon at Eddy D. Field Stadium in Malibu, Calif. The loss moves the Broncos' record to 25-24 overall and 16-7 in the West Coast Conference while the Waves improve to 31-16 overall and 19-4 in league play.

Santa Clara jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning as a Michael Thompson line drive to center field scored Will Thompson who reached earlier in the inning on a double to the center field wall.

Pepperdine took a big lead in the bottom of the fifth inning as they scored four unearned runs on only two hits, capped by a two-out, two-run single up the middle by Chris Kelly. Cory Brightwell led off the inning with a walk and moved to second on a single from Patrick Rooney. Both moved up on a sacrifice bunt by Nelson Caraballo who reached base on a fielding error by Michael Thompson at third base. Kevin Estrada drew a bases loaded walk for the first run while the second run scored on a 6-3 putout of Brandon Daguio, just one batter prior to Kelly's big single.

The Waves added two more unearned runs on only one hit in the bottom of the sixth inning as a bases loaded error by Michael Lange on a slow ground ball off the bat of David Uribes allowed Ty Harper and Brightwell to score, moving the Pepperdine lead up to 6-1.

Four errors and eighth men left on base, including stranding the bases full of Broncos in the third inning, led to Santa Clara's demise in game two. Pepperdine took full advantage of the Bronco errors, scoring all six of their runs as a result for the 6-1 win despite leaving nine runners of their own stranded on base thanks to two Bronco double plays.

The same two teams will play the third and final game of the series Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. on the Pepperdine campus. The Waves enter the series finale with a three-game lead over Santa Clara in the Coast Division of the WCC with only seven games to go.