FROM CBB NEWS SOURCES
MALIBU, Calif. – #11 Pepperdine’s bats came alive a day after getting shut out, as the Waves used a 14-hit attack to down UC Santa Barbara 14-3 on Wednesday afternoon at Eddy D. Field Stadium.
Pepperdine improved to 18-9 (1-1 WCC) with the win, while UCSB fell to 19-8.
A day after getting shut out for the first time this season, the Waves wasted no time putting runs on the board on Wednesday, scoring two runs in the first inning on two-out RBI singles from David Harris and Chase d’Arnaud to give the Waves a 2-0 lead.
The Waves added onto their lead in the third inning, as Trent Diedrich led off the frame with a double and came around to score on a passed ball to extend the Waves’ lead to 3-0.
Pepperdine exploded in the fifth inning, scoring eight runs on five hits. Diedrich scored on d’Arnaud’s RBI double, and Harris scored on an error push the Waves’ lead to 5-0. d’Arnaud then came around to score on a balk, and Bryce Mendonca notched a two-run single to extend Pepperdine’s lead to 8-0. Mendonca came around to score on a throwing error, Donald Brown scored on a wild pitch, and d’Arnaud was then hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to cap the scoring in the inning and pushing the Waves lead to 11-0.
UCSB got on the board in the sixth inning on a two-run homer from Mike Zuanich to cut the deficit to 11-2, but Pepperdine answered with a two-run homer of its own in the sixth from Denny Duron, his second of the season, to give Pepperdine a 13-2 lead.
Torrey Jacoby notched a pinch-hit single in the seventh to push Pepperdine’s lead to 14-2.
UCSB notched a solo home run from Shane Carlson in the eighth to make it a 14-3 game,
Pepperdine starter Matt Bywater tossed four scoreless innings, but did not factor in the decision, as Jordan Durrance registered the win in relief.
For the Waves’ offense, d’Arnaud went 2-for-3 with three RBI, Diedrich notched two hits and three runs scored, and Harris and Mendonca each recorded a pair of hits. UCSB was led by Carlson’s two hits.
Up next, the Waves will play their third consecutive weekend series on the road, as they will face WCC foe Saint Mary’s from April 4-6 in Moraga, Calif.
