April 6, 2001
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - The Santa Clara University baseball team dropped its first conference home game of the season Friday night to 19th-ranked Pepperdine by a score of 6-1. The game was delayed 42 minutes after the second inning due to rain. With the loss Santa Clara's record falls to 13-20 and 9-4 in conference play. The Waves' record improves to 21-12 and 10-4 in the WCC. Both teams remain in first place in their respective divisions.
Waves pitcher Daniel Haren pitched a complete game only allowing three hits and one unearned run. Santa Clara's only run came in the seventh inning when senior Mike Theoharis drove in Joe Diefenderfer off a fielding error by Waves' second baseman Simon Ferrer.
Diefenderer (3-3) was the starting pitcher for Santa Clara. He recorded six innings pitched giving up five runs and striking out six batters in a losing effort. Pepperdine first scored in the second inning off a leadoff homerun by the pitcher Haren, his third of the season. With two outs in the sixth inning, the Waves recorded three straight hits, the last one being a two-RBI double by Tony Garcia.
Senior Dave Mallen, junior Grant Feichtmeir and sophomore Matt Krueger all made relief appearances for the Broncos, as the three combined to allow one unearned run in the eighth inning.
Santa Clara was led offensively by Theoharis who went 1-for-4 with a RBI and his eighth double of the season. Alex Anderson and Kellan McConnell recorded the other two hits for the Broncos.
Pepperdine was led by Tony Garcia who went 3-for-5 with 3 RBI's, and Woody Cliffords who also went 3-for-5.
Santa Clara continues conference play on Saturday, April 7 when they host Pepperdine in game two of the three game series between the two schools. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Buck Shaw Stadium.
