By Jared Hermann
Staff Writer
With two more close defeats this week, the Pepperdine baseball team continues to search for the fire players say they know they have. Trying to find that spark Tuesday against UCLA, wet conditions may have put a damper on that search for at least a couple more days.
In a battle of Los Angeles-area rivals, the Waves lost a tough one 8-6 to the Bruins on the road despite recording a season-high 15 hits.
Thanks in part to a throwing error by shortstop Nick Kliebert late in the sixth inning, the Bruins were able to score three runs and surpass a 6-5 Pepperdine lead.
The error cost starting pitcher Brandon Boesch the win. Boesch, who turned in the longest outing by a Pepperdine pitcher this season, worked 5 2/3 innings, allowed 10 hits, eight runs, five earned, walked three and struck out four. The loss dropped the Waves to 2-5 on the season.
A day earlier, in a game rescheduled because of rain, Pepperdine lost another close one to the UC-Santa Barbara Gauchos, 6-5.
After a weekend of Mother Nature’s wrath postponed all three previous games scheduled between the Gauchos and Waves, the two teams got together Monday afternoon at Eddy D. Field Stadium as the rains finally subsided.
Leading 6-3 going into the bottom of the ninth inning, UCSB looked confident until reliever Aaron Jones hit sophomore David Uribes with a pitch that sent the infielder to first base.
The next better, freshman center fielder Luke Salas, lined a double into a gap in the outfield, putting runners on second and third with one out. Junior slugger Patrick Rooney proceeded with an RBI groundout, before first baseman Brent Lewis lined a double off the left-field wall that narrowed the deficit to 6-5.
Unfortunately, the next batter, senior right fielder Cory Brightwell, fouled out to first base to end the Pepperdine rally.
Pepperdine right hander Kea Kometani (0-2) worked the first 6 1/3 innings, surrendered eight hits, six runs, (four earned), one walk and five strike outs.
After the defeats, Wave spirits did not dampen for their hopes for a good season.
“We as a team have to continue to play hard,” sophomore pitcher James Johnson said. “We know we can win all of our games, we just need to play to our ability.”
Rooney, who is currently batting .423 with two home runs and nine RBIs, agreed.
“All of our games matter, but these early season losses don’t hurt our chances for the tournament,” Rooney said. “They just make us try a bit harder.”
The Waves are scheduled to return to play today versus Brigham Young University, 2 p.m. at Eddy D. Field Stadium. It is the first game of the Pepperdine-hosted tournament entitled “Battle at the Beach.”
Submitted February 26, 2004