MALIBU, Calif. — Santa Clara baseball scored the opening run of Sunday's series finale at Eddy D. Field Stadium before Pepperdine answered with three runs in the home half of the first inning on its way to a 6-2 victory. The Waves swept the series, which featured three games decided by four runs or fewer.
Santa Clara's Stevie Berman hit a two-out, RBI double in the first inning to drive in Grant Meylan, who led off with his conference-leading 31st walk of the season. Berman finished the series as the only batter on either team to record multiple hits in each of the three games; he went 6-for-11 for the Broncos (15-19, 4-11 WCC).
The Waves (20-17, 10-5 WCC) tied the game at 1-1 on an RBI double from Aaron Barnett in the bottom of the first. The next batter, Brandon Caruso, hit a ground ball through the legs of Bronco shortstop Jose Vizcaino, Jr., resulting in a two-run error that put the hosts ahead 3-1. The Broncos turned a 6-4-3 double play on a ground ball off the bat of Kolten Yamaguchi, which Vizcaino, Jr. cut off on its way to the outfield and made a backhanded flip to second baseman Austin Fisher, who threw on to Jake Brodt at first base to end the inning.
The Broncos pulled within one run at 3-2 on an RBI double from T.J. Braff in the top of the fifth. In the bottom of the sixth, Bronco starting pitcher Eric Lex retired the first batter he faced before giving up a double, a walk and a single to load the bases with one out. Nick Medeiros relieved Lex and walked Aaron Lambert on four pitches with the bases loaded to make the score 4-2 and Jason Seever allowed a two-run double to pinch hitter Nick Costello that put the Waves ahead 6-2.
Reece Karalus came in to pitch after Medeiros and Seever each faced one batter, and retired two straight Waves with runners on second and third to end the inning. Lex (L, 2-3) allowed six runs (five earned) on five hits with three walks and three strikeouts in 5.1 innings. Pepperdine starting pitcher Ryan Wilson (W, 6-1) allowed two earned runs on five hits with four walks and three strikeouts in 5.0 innings.
Karalus allowed only one hit in 2.2 innings of relief and struck out two batters. Pepperdine relief pitcher Evan Dunn threw 3.0 shutout innings, giving up three hits with one strikeout. The Broncos put their leadoff batter aboard and got at least two runners on base in five innings Sunday afternoon.
The Broncos face the Stanford Cardinal at Schott Stadium Tuesday for a 6 p.m. first pitch.
GAME NOTES: First pitch was at 1 p.m. … time of the game was 2:55 … attendance was 505.
