April 13, 2006
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - If the first inning was any indication, it was going to be a high-scoring offensive affair between the Santa Clara Broncos and Pepperdine Waves Thursday night at Stephen Schott Stadium. But the Waves were the ones who kept the pace and the Bronco bats were kept in check the rest of the way in Pepperdine's 9-4 win.
Eric Newton hit his 10th home run of the season for the Broncos (20-15, 3-4 WCC) and Jason Matteucci was 2-for-4 with a triple. Adrian Ortiz went 2-for-5 and drove in three runs for the Waves (22-15, 3-4 WCC) as they hit five doubles in the game.
The teams will return to Schott Stadium Friday night for the second game of the series. First pitch is set for 7 p.m. Tickets are available by calling (408) 554-4660 or by visiting the Leavey Center ticket office.
Pepperdine got on the board right away as a David Uribes walk and Ortiz single set the table. Chad Tracy was hit by a pitch and a fielder's choice and sacrifice fly brought in the first two runs of the game. But the Broncos answered right away in their half as Matteucci led off with a triple and Newton blasted his tenth homer to right-center to even things up.
The bats fell silent for a few innings until the Waves' half of the fourth. Denny Duron singled to lead things off and Uribes doubled to put runners on second and third with none out. Doubles by Chad Tracy and Danny Worth highlighted a four-run inning that put the Waves ahead to stay.
Santa Clara got one run back to cut things to 6-3 in the sixth as a Kris Watts single brought in Daniel Nava, but again the Waves answered right away. A double by Donald Brown was the big hit in a three-run frame that effectively put the game out of reach.
Broncos starter Sean O'Neill went only four innings, giving up seven hits and six runs as his record fell to 2-5. Paul Coleman allowed four runs in seven innings and struck out eight to earn the win for Pepperdine and improve his record to 5-3.