Posted: May 12, 2021
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Santa Clara baseball heads to Malibu, California to face Pepperdine in the final West Coast Conference series of the season. The first pitch for Friday's series opener is at 3 p.m. followed by 1 p.m. starts on both Saturday and Sunday.
The Broncos have won two out of eight WCC series this season, taking two of three games from both Portland and BYU.
After the Pepperdine series, the Broncos will face Saint Mary's (May 21-23) and San Francisco (May 28-30) in a nonconference matchup since the Broncos already faced them earlier as part of the WCC schedule.
Santa Clara (14-27, 7-17) at Pepperdine (15-21, 7-11)
Games #42-44 • Eddy D. Field Stadium
Friday, May 14 • 3 p.m.
Saturday, May 15 • 1 p.m.
Sunday, May 16 • 1 p.m.
All-Time Series: Pepperdine leads the series 108-61-2 dating back to 1960. The two schools last met on April 5-7, 2019 at Pepperdine where the Waves won two of three including the rubber game, 5-4, in 10 innings.
SANTA CLARA NOTES
• Santa Clara is averaging 4.8 runs per game with a .244 batting average. The team is giving up 5.6 runs a game with a 4.50 ERA allowing an opponent batting average of .246
• Nine different hurlers have started in the first 41 games led by Russell Grant and Freddie Erlandson with 12 each.
• Two players have started in all 41 games: Coleman Brigman (CF) and Jason Dicochea (SS). Dawson Brigman (2B) has played in 40 games.
• A Brigman brother (Coleman or Dawson) has batted leadoff in 49 of the last 58 games going back to the start of the 2020 season. Mike Bowes, JonJon Berring (twice) and Austin Reyes (6x) are the only other non-Brigman that has batted leadoff. Bowes was the opening day leadoff batter in 2020; Berring batted leadoff against Saint Mary's on April 17 and San Diego on April 24; and Reyes hit in the top spot against San Diego on April 25 and LMU on April 30, May 2, & May 7-9. Coleman Brigman has hit atop the line up in 48 games with older brother Dawson Brigman doing it in one game on Feb. 26 against Stanford.
• Four of the 10 home runs hit by Jake MacNichols this season have come in the first inning including three-run homers in back-to-back opening innings against UC San Diego (March 13 & 14).
• The Bernhardt twins picked up the win and the save in the series clinching win over Portland on March 28. RHP Locke Bernhardt came in relief for the win (3 2/3 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 6 K) and LHP Holden Bernhardt (2 IP, 1 H, 3 K) closed out the game. It was the first time the brothers earned a win and picked up a save in the same game.
• The Broncos travel just once out of state this regular season (played at Oregon State, March 23-24 & at Portland, March 26-28).
National & Conference Rankings
-Jake MacNichols is third in the West Coast Conference in home runs with 10.
-Cole Kitchen is tied for fourth in the conference with five wins.
-Russell Grant is second in the conference with 5.85 hits allowed per nine innings.
-Freddie Erlandson is eighth in the conference with a 3.21 ERA.
-Santa Clara is third in the conference with 37 home runs, trailing leader Pepperdine by nine.
ABOUT PEPPERDINE
Pepperdine has an overall record of 15-21 this season and is 7-11 in West Coast Conference action.
The series against Santa Clara marks their final home conference series of the year having played just 13 home games at Eddy D. Field Stadium where they are 5-8.
The Waves average 6.2 runs per game and are hitting .260 led by Reese Alexiades' .361 average in 27 games. Wyatt Young (.329 BA) and Connor Bradshaw (.302) are also hitting above .300
Despite playing the fewest games (36) among all WCC schools, the Waves lead the conference in home runs with 46. Justin Lutes and Billy Cooks lead the way with conference best 11 home runs each.
Lutes has driven in 30 runs and Cooks has 25 RBIs but Ryan Johnson leads the team in that category with 40.
Pepperdine has allowed 6.0 runs per game as opponents are hitting at a clip of .276 The team ERA stands at 5.55
Brandon Llewellyn (3-1, 2.87) has appeared in a team-high 11 games and tops the team in wins alongside Trevel Hinkel (3-6, 5.74) who has started in 10 games.
Nathan Diamond and Cooper Chandler each have two saves to lead the team.
Defensively, the Waves have committed 35 errors on the season and has a .973 fielding percentage.
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