May 16, 2009
MALIBU, Calif. - Santa Clara baseball faced another hard-fought setback Saturday afternoon as Pepperdine earned the series win with an 8-4 victory. The Waves won the series opener on Friday 12-5.
The battle on the mound went to Scott Alexander (4-5). He tossed three innings of relief for the Waves surrendering no runs and no hits. The only runner that reached base against him was on a hit-by-pitch in the seventh inning, and he retired the final seven batters of the game. The loss went to starter RHP Alex Rivers (5-5).
Junior catcher Geoff Klein and sophomore first baseman Chris Morton each tallied a pair of hits, while four different Broncos scored each of the runs. Brian Humphries led the game with three hits and Nate Simon had two runs and two RBIs.
It took two and a half innings before either team could get on the scoreboard. The Waves took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning on a Simon home run that also scored Humphries.
However, SCU responded with three runs in the top of the fifth to claim a one-run lead. With one out on the board, Morton singled down the right field line and then advanced on an Andrew Biancardi base hit to left field. The pair then scored on a David Abraham triple to right centerfield. It was the senior second baseman's first career triple. He was then driven home on a sacrifice bunt from third baseman Kyle Van Dusen. SCU led 3-2.
The lead was short-lived as Pepperdine tied the game in the bottom of the fifth.
SCU continued its fight and took another one-run edge in the sixth inning on a wild pitch from Waves starter Cole Cook. Junior shortstop Jon Karcich scored the run after getting on base with an infield single. The Broncos led 4-3.
Yet, Pepperdine knotted things up once again in the bottom of the sixth and added on a total of four runs in the seventh and eighth innings, while shutting down Santa Clara for the final three innings. The Waves won 8-4.
The Broncos' 2009 WCC schedule comes to a close on Sunday, May 17 in the series finale against the Waves. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. from Eddy D. Field Stadium in Malibu.
