MALIBU, Calif. – Elliott Waterman pitched a season-high 6.0 innings in relief limiting Pepperdine to just two runs, but the Dons dropped the Sunday rubber match to the Waves, 6-1, at Eddy D. Field Stadium.
Waterman, the Dons' (23-28, 9-9 WCC) closer all year long, entered in the bottom of the third and kept the game close, but San Francisco's bats were unable to get to Waves' (26-18, 9-6 WCC) starter Corey Miller (7-3).
With the 6.0-inning, two-run effort, Waterman now owns a 1.38 ERA in 39.0 innings pitched with 37 strikeouts and just four walks. Waterman is just one save shy of setting San Francisco's single season save record and is currently tied with Patrick McGuigan for first place all-time with seven saves.
After the Dons took early 1-0 leads in the first two games of the series, the Waves got on the board first, scoring one run on a Dons' miscue. Joe Sever scored on a fielding error by Dons' shortstop Adam Clear, who ranged into left field, but was unable to glove the pop up off the bat of Tony Cooper.
Pepperdine then scored another run in the second, before jumping on Dons' starter Christian Cecilio (2-6) in the third, scoring twice to open a 4-0 lead. The freshman left-hander was squeezed all afternoon by home plate umpire Michael Allen and gave way to Waterman with two on and nobody out in the bottom of the third.
Center fielder Justin Maffei drove home the lone run of the game for the Dons in the top of the seventh, lining a ball up the middle to plate Ted LeMasters. Maffei's 10th RBI on the season cut into the Pepperdine lead, 4-1. After singling, the junior speed demon stole his WCC-leading 21st base in 25 attempts. Maffei ranks within the top 50 in the entire nation in thefts.
The Waves countered with single runs in the bottom of the seventh and eighth on Sam Meyer's RBI sac fly to deep right field. Bradley Zimmer made a jumping catch up against the wall to save an extra-base hit and keep San Francisco within five runs, 6-1.
Pepperdine right-hander Eric Karch pitched the final 2.0 frames, walking one and striking out three.
With the loss, the Dons fall to .500 (9-9) on the season with eight games remaining on the 2012 regular season schedule. Santa Clara and Saint Mary's remain as the only two WCC opponents left to play for the Dons.
San Francisco resumes play this Tuesday, May 8, against Pacific at 6:00 p.m. The Dons then host Santa Clara for a three-game weekend set at the friendly confines of Benedetti Diamond starting on May 11 at 3:00 p.m.
NOTES: Aritz Garcia made two more dazzling plays at third base in addition to leading the Dons offensively going 2-for-2... Maffei reached base safely for the seventh straight game going 1-for-3 with two walks and an RBI. Jason Mahood successfully placed his 18th sacrifice bunt and ranks within the top five in the nation in that category.
