May 13, 2005
MALIBU, Calif. - Senior right hander Anthony Rea scattered eight hits in a complete-game effort and Santa Clara took advantage of a pair of leadoff walks to defeat Pepperdine 2-1 in the opener of a three-game series Friday afternoon at Eddy D. Field Stadium.
Santa CLara moved to 26-24 on the season and 9-15 in the West Coast Conference's West Division. The loss dropped the Waves (30-19, 16-8) 1.5 games behind division leader San Francisco, which defeated Portland 9-1 on Friday.
Tomorrow at noon the Waves and Broncos will complete their March 20th game that was suspended after six innings with Pepperdine leading 5-2 before playing the regularly scheduled game at 1 p.m.
Rea (6-6) kept the Waves off-balance throughout Friday's opener, scattering eight hits, surrendering one run, walking none and striking out six as he pitched his fourth complete-game of the season.
The senior right hander did not allow a Pepperdine runner to reach third base until the ninth inning when freshman center fielder Adrian Ortiz singled to open the inning and advanced to third on a double down the left-field line by sophomore catcher Chad Tracy.
However, Rea was able to work out of the second and third, no-out jam, allowing just one run as he got a pair of ground ball outs and a strikeout to end the game and strand the potential tying run at third base.
Rea out-dueled Pepperdine left-hander Paul Coleman, who suffered his first loss of the year after beginning the season 8-0.
Coleman was hurt by bases on balls as two leadoff walks came around to score.
The Broncos took a 1-0 lead in the third when Ryan Chiarelli walked to open the inning, was sacrificed to second and scored on a single to center by Jason Matteucci.
A second leadoff walk came around to score in the eighth inning as Coleman walked Nathan Faulkner and Chiarelli.
After a sacrifice moved the runners to second and third, Coleman was relieved by freshman right hander Doug Konoske. Shawn Epidendio greeted Konsoke with a line single off his leg that scored Faulkner and gave the Broncos a big insurance run.
Konoske was able to limit the damage as he got a pop-up and strikeout to end the inning and allow the Waves to put the tying runners on base in the ninth.
In 7.1 innings, Coleman (8-1) allowed three hits, two runs, walked four and struck out three.
Tracy and freshman shortstop Danny Worth had two hits apiece for Pepperdine.
