March 24, 2002

Stats

Moraga, CA - The Saint Mary's baseball team (8-12/1-2 WCC) lost a thriller to the Pepperdine Waves (12-16/2-2 WCC), 11-9 in the first game of a double-header on Sunday, March 24 at Louis Gusto Field. Freshman Mike Harris led the Gaels, going 3-for-4 at the plate, hitting three doubles and also included three runs and one RBI.

The Waves jumped out to an early lead as Pepperdine unloaded on Gaels starter Mike Byer. Byer went 2.1 innings, giving up seven runs on six hits and recording his fourth loss on the season. The Waves scored three runs in the first and second inning and added one more in the top of the third inning.

The Gaels scored a few runs of their own in the first and second inning. Tim Spooner hit a single to center field to score teammate Mark Teahen after his single and stolen base. The Gaels scored again in the second when Harris started it off with a double to left center. Shortstop Brett Wayne then scored Harris off of a single to center. After three innings the Gaels trailed 7-2.

In the fourth inning Brian Vesce walked and was later scored after Harris hit his second double on the day. At that point the Gaels found themselves down 7-3.

In the top of the fifth inning the Waves would extend their lead as they scored three more runs. The Waves fifth inning was highlighted by a Cory Brightwell two-run homerun and a Duke Sardinha solo shot. The Waves led 10-3 after six innings.

In the seventh and eighth inning the Gaels retaliated with back-to-back three-run innings. Brian Houle collected two RBI's when he hit his only single of the game, scoring Harris and Jason Waugh. Both reached base on a walk. Houle later scored after an error by the Waves shortstop Patrick Rooney. In the eighth, Wayne hit his second homerun on the season, this one a three-run homer, bringing the Gaels within one going into the ninth inning.

In the ninth the Waves scored one more run to put the game out of reach for the Gaels and finished with an 11-9 victory. Winning pitcher for the Waves was Brandon Boesch, who improves to 4-2 after he went six innings, giving up three runs. Pepperdine outfielder Cory Brightwell was 4-for-6 on the day with three runs and five RBI. He hit three doubles in the ball game.

In the second game of the double-header match-up the Gaels and Waves went six full innings until head coach John Baptista decided to suspend the final three innings of the game. The final three innings will be played on Monday, May 6th at Louis Gusto Field. These two teams will conclude with a 3-3 score going into the top of the seventh.

The Gaels will begin action when they travel to Reno to play the Nevada Wolf Pack on Tuesday, March 26. First pitch scheduled for 2:00 p.m.