March 21, 2006

Box Score

Fullerton, Calif. - Pepperdine's Chad Tracy was 3-for-4 with two home runs and four RBI as the No. 21 Waves upset No. 4 Cal State Fullerton, 7-4, in a midweek college baseball match-up at Goodwin Field Tuesday night.

The Waves capitalized on four Titan errors, handing Fullerton its first loss in eight games, dropping their season record to 17-7. Pepperdine improved to 15-11 extending its modest winning streak to three games.

A muffed throw attempting to get the lead runner at second base by third baseman Evan McArthur, extended Pepperdine's seventh inning, allowing Chad Tracy to drive in the tying run with a bloop single to left off Titan reliever Bryan Harris. Harris then became the pitcher of record as Pepperdine right fielder Donald Brown promptly single to left, scoring David Uribes from second with the winning run.

Harris, who hadn't pitched since Feb. 26, fell to 0-2 on the season pitching just 1.1 innings in relief of Justin Klipp. Harris surrendered four of the Waves thirteen hits, but two McArthur errors resulted in three unearned runs for the right-hander.

Pepperdine starter Barry Enright improved to 5-1 going 6.1 innings allowing eight of the Titans' 10 hits. Fullerton plated four runs off the Waves win leader, but a solid 2.2 innings of relief by Brett Hunter preserved the win for Enright and the Waves. Four of Enright's wins this season have come against ranked opponents,the likes of Long Beach State, Oregon State, Tulane and now Fullerton. Hunter retired seven of the last eight Titans to come to bat and picked up his fifth save of the season.

RBI-singles by Fullerton's Brett Pill and Jared Clark in the bottom of the third inning tied the game at 2-2, after Tracy's first home run of the game gave the Waves a 2-0 advantage.

After the Waves took a 3-2 lead on Tracy's second home run of the night, The Titans took their only lead of the contest at 4-3 on a McArthur two-run blast, his second of the season. Though they were able to produce three hits, the Titans would be unable to score a run in the final three innings off Enright and Hunter.

Pepperdine's Luke Salas and Nick Kliebert each had a pair of hits, joining Tracy with multiple hits for the Waves, while Justin Turner (2), Brett Pill (2) and McArthur (3) were on base via the hit multiple times for the Titans. Blake Davis extended his hitting streak to 15 games with a third innign single to center, the longest by any Titan this season.

Harris was not the only Fullerton arm touched for runs as starter Cory Arbiso went three innings, surrendering two earned runs before handing off to Klipp. Klipp, who led all pitchers with four strikeouts, surrendered an earn run on Tracy's leadoff home run in the sixth. Ryan Paul also saw some extended time on the hill going an inning and a third, being charged with an unearned run on McArthur's second error.

Vinnie Pestano was the only Fullerotn pitcher to emerge unscathed as he came in to get the final out in the top of the ninth, lowering his ERA to a miniscule 0.49.

Fullerton now looks to a non-conference weekend series against Long Beach State, as the 49ers come to Goodwin Field for three games starting Friday night at 7 p.m.