FROM CBB NEWS SOURCES
Game 1: San Diego 10 Pepperdine 1
SAN DIEGO, Calif. – Junior All-American Brian Matusz dominates on the mound and the Torero bats explode as the seventh-ranked University of San Diego baseball team cruised to a 10-1 win over No. 13 Pepperdine University in the first game of a double-header in the West Coast Conference Championship Series Saturday afternoon.
With the win, the Toreros have now recorded their second consecutive 40-win season as they move to 40-15 overall. With the loss, the Waves fall to 36-18 overall.
Matusz (11-2) wins his career-high 11th game of the season as he allowed one unearned run on five hits, while striking out nine batters. With the nine strikeouts, Matusz moves his season total to 131 and his career total to 386, just seven behind the all-time record at USD. Nathan Newman (7-4) was saddled with the loss for the Waves, as he allowed six runs, five earned, on seven hits in 6.1 innings of work.
The Toreros got on the scoreboard first as they scored two runs on two hits in the bottom of the third inning. With two outs, Nick McCoy got things started with a walk and moved to second on a Kevin Muno single through the left side. After Josh Romanski loaded the bases with a walk, Sean Nicol drove in the two runs with a single to right field to give USD a 2-0 lead.
San Diego then added to their lead in the bottom of the fourth inning. Kevin Hansen led off the inning with a single to right field, then advanced to second on a fielding error by the Pepperdine right fielder. Two batters later, Jose Valerio hit a run-scoring double to left field to move the score to 3-0.
The Waves then took back one run in the top of the fifth inning. With two outs and runners at first and second, Chase d’Arnaud hit the ball to third base and USD committed a fielding error allowing the runner at second to come across for an unearned run and cut the Torero lead to two at 3-1.
USD then responded in the bottom of the sixth inning as James Meador led off the inning with his seventh home run of the season, a solo shot over the left field fence to give USD a 4-1 lead. With the home run, Meador has now moved his career-high hitting streak to 20 games.
San Diego then added to their lead in the bottom of the seventh inning scoring two runs on three hits. With one out, Muno got things started with a triple to right centerfield and Josh Romanski drove in Muno with a RBI single through the right side for the first run of the inning. Nicol then moved Romanski up one base on a single up the middle, Meador then loaded the bases with a walk and the final USD run came on a wild pitch to move the score to 6-1 in favor of USD.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, the Toreros put the game out of reach as they scored four runs on five hits. Victor Sanchez led off the inning with a single up the middle and moved to second on a Valerio single. Muno drove in the first run with a double to right centerfield and Romanski drove in run No. 2 with a sacrifice fly to right field. Meador then drove in Muno with a RBI single up the middle and the fourth run came in on a Hansen RBI single to right field to give USD a comfortable 10-1 lead.
Offensively for the Toreros, Meador led the way as he went 2-for-4 with one home run and two RBI. Muno was also solid at the plate for USD as he went 3-for-5 with one double, one triple and one RBI. Nicol, Hansen and Valerio all recorded multiple hits on the day as well.
Game 2: San Diego 12 Pepperdine 4
SAN DIEGO, Calif. – A hit parade helped propel the seventh-ranked University of San Diego baseball team to a 12-4 win over No. 13 Pepperdine University in the second game of a double-header in the West Coast Conference Championship Series Saturday afternoon at Cunningham Stadium.
With the win, the Toreros improve to 41-15 overall and have claimed their second consecutive WCC Championship Series Championship, and earned the WCC’s automatic berth into the NCAA Regionals beginning next week. With the loss, the Waves fall to 36-19.
The Toreros will learn who and where they will play in the NCAA Regionals on Monday morning at 9:30 a.m. as ESPN airs the “Road to Omaha” selection show, revealing the field of 64 in the NCAA postseason.
The Waves got on the scoreboard first as they scored two runs on two hits in the bottom of the first inning. The Pepperdine runs came on a Danny Duron two-run double down the left field line to give the Waves a 2-0 early lead.
San Diego then responded in the top of the second inning by letting the long ball fly. After James Meador led off the inning with a single, Jose Valerio launched his fifth home run of the season, a two run blast over the left field fence. Two batters later, Victor Sanchez then launched his team-leading 12th home run of the season, a solo shot over the left field fence to give USD a 3-2 lead.
The Waves then regained the lead in the bottom of the third inning as Duron hit a run-scoring double down the left field line, followed by a David Harris RBI single to move the score to 4-3 in favor of the Waves.
San Diego then evened the score in the top of the fourth inning. Josh Romanski got things started with a walk and moved to second on a Tony Strazzara walk. Kevin Muno then drove in Ryan Davis, who pinch ran for Romanski at second, to even the score at 4-4.
The Toreros then regained the lead in the top of the fifth inning. Nicol got things started with a double to left centerfield and he moved to third on a double-steal attempt. Jose Valerio then drove in Nicol with a RBI groundout to the second baseman to give USD a 5-4 lead.
USD extended its lead in the top of the sixth inning scoring one run on two hits. Logan Gelbrich led of the inning with a stand-up double down the left field line. After Gelbrich moved up one base on a Victor Sanchez sacrifice bunt, Muno drove in Gelbrich with a RBI single to right field to give USD a 6-4 advantage.
San Diego then added to their lead in the top of the seventh inning. Meador led off the inning with a single and moved to second on a Valerio single, each runner then moved up one run on a fielding error by the Pepperdine right fielder. Three consecutive RBI singles by Gelbrich, Sanchez and Muno capped the scoring for the inning and gave USD a 9-4 lead.
The Toreros went on to put the game out of reach in the top of the eighth inning as Ryan Davis hit a three-run homer over the right field fence, his first in a Torero uniform to put the game at its final of 12-4.
Kyle Blair (7-4) picked up the win on the mound for the Toreros as he completely shutdown the Pepperdine offense allowing no runs on three hits, while striking out four in 3.2 innings of work. Scott Alexander (7-4) was saddled with the loss for the Waves as he allowed two runs on two hits, in 3.1 innings of work.
Offensively for the Toreros, Muno led the way as he went 5-for-6 with three RBI, Valerio went 3-for-5 with one home run and three RBI and Sanchez, Meador, Nicol and Gelbrich all recorded multiple hits.
Championship Series Honors
Most Outstanding Player – Kevin Muno
Most Outstanding Pitcher – Brian Matusz
